TEMPLE  BAILEY 


HE    IMPRISONED    THE    SMALL    HAND 


GLORY  OF 
YOUTH 


BY 

TEMPLE  BAILEY 


AUTHOR  OF 
CONTRARY  MARY 


ILLUSTRATED  BY 

HENRY  HUTT  and  C.  S.  CORSON 


NEW  YORK 

GROSSET  &   DUNLAP 

PUBLISHERS 

Made  in  the  United  States  of  America 


ITOV-  OF  CALIF.  LIBRARY,  LOS  AN 


ANGELES 


COPYEIGHT 
1913  BY 
THE  PENN 
PUBLISHING 
COMPANY 


First  printing,   August,   1913 

Second  printing,  February,    ISH 

Third  printing  February,  1917 

Fourth  printing  August,  1919 


Manufacturing 

Plant 
Camden,   N.  J. 


The  Glory  of  Youth 


To 

My  Mother 


2125685 


Contents 


I.  BETTINA  ....•» 

II.  IN  THE  SHADOWY  ROOM  .        .        . 

III.  IN  WHICH  DIANA  REAPS  .        ,        , 

IV.  WHITE  LILACS        ...» 
V.  IN  WHICH  BETTINA  DANCES    „ 

VI.  "  FOR  EVERY  MAN  THERE  Is  J'JST 

WOMAN"  . 

VII.  HARBOR  LIGHT        •        •        ,        > 

VIII.  THE  EMPTY  HOUSE  •        . 

IX.  THE  GOLDEN  AGE   .... 

X.  STORM  SIGNALS       .... 

XL  THE  WHITE  MAIDEN       ... 

XII.  YOUTH  AND  BEAUTY         .        .        . 

XIII.  HER  LETTER  TO  ANTHONY       .        . 

XIV.  THE  LITTLE  SILVER  RING        • 
XV.  IN  WHICH  BETTINA  FLIES        .        • 

XVI.  VOICES  IN  THE  DARK       .        •        • 

XVII.  GLORY  OF  YOUTH  .        •        • 

XVIII.  PENANCE 

XIX.  HER  FATHER'S  RING        .        .        • 

XX.  THE  "  GRAY  GULL  " 

XXI.  BROKEN  WINGS  .        • 

XXII.  THE  ENCHANTED  FOREST 

XXIII  THE  PROCESSION  OF  PRETTY  LADIES 

XXIV.  THE  AFTERGLOW 


ONE 


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316 
323 


Glory  of  Youth 


CHAPTER  I 

BETTINA 

THE  girl  knelt  on  the  floor,  feverishly  packing  a 
shabby  little  trunk. 

Outside  was  a  streaming  April  storm,  and  the  rain, 
rushing  against  the  square,  small-paned  windows, 
shut  out  the  view  of  the  sea,  shut  out  the  light,  and 
finally  brought  such  darkness  that  the  girl  stood  up 
with  a  sigh,  brushed  off  her  black  dress  with  thin 
white  hands,  and  groped  her  way  to  the  door. 

Beyond  the  door  was  the  blackness  of  an  upper 
hall  in  a  tall  century-old  house.  A  spiral  stairway 
descended  into  a  well  of  gloom.  An  ancient  iron 
lantern,  attached  to  a  chain,  hung  from  the  low  ceil- 
ing. 

The  girl  lighted  the  lantern,  and  the  faint  illumina- 
tion made  deeper  the  shadows  below. 

And  from  the  shadows  came  a  man's  voice, 

"  May  I  come  up  ?  " 

9 


GLORT  OF  TOUTH 

As  the  girl  bent  over  the  railing,  the  glow  of  the 
lantern  made  of  her  hair  a  shining  halo.  "  Oh/'  she 
cried,  radiantly,  "  I'm  so  glad  you've  come.  I — I 
was  afraid " 

The  thunder  rolled,  the  waves  pounded  on  the 
rocks,  and  the  darkness  grew  more  dense,  but  now 
the  girl  did  not  heed,  for  what  mattered  a  mere 
storm,  when,  ascending  the  stairs,  was  one  who  knew 
fear  neither  of  life  nor  of  death,  nor  of  the  things 
which  come  after  death  ? 

When  at  last  her  visitor  emerged  from  the  gloom, 
he  showed  himself  beyond  youthful  years,  with  hair 
slightly  touched  with  gray,  not  tall,  but  of  a  com- 
manding presence,  with  clear,  keen  blue  eyes,  and 
with  cheeks  which  were  tanned  by  out-of-door  exer- 
cise, and  reddened  by  the  prevailing  weather. 

"  I  just  had  to  come,"  he  said,  as  he  took  her 
hand.  "  I  knew  you'd  be  frightened." 

"  Yes,"  she  said,  "  Miss  Matthews  is  at  school,  and 
I  am  alone " 

"  And  unhappy  ?  " 

Her  lips  quivered,  but  she  drew  her  hand  from  his, 
and  went  on  into  the  shabby  room,  where  she  lighted 
a  candle  in  a  brass  holder,  and  touched  a  match  to  a 

fire  which  was  laid  in  the  blackened  brick  fireplace. 

10 


BET  TIN  A 

The  doctor's  quick  eye  noted  the  preparations 
for  departure. 

"  What  does  that  mean  ? "  he  asked,  and  pointed 
to  the  trunk. 

"  I — I  am  going  away " 

"  Away  ?  " 

"  Yes,"  nervously ;  "  I — I  can't  stay  here, 
doctor." 

"  Why  not  ?  " 

"  Oh,"  tremulously,  "  it  was  all  right  when  I  had 
mother,  because  she  was  so  sick  that  I  was  too  busy 
to  realize  how  deadly  lonely  it  was  here.  I  knew 
she  needed  the  sea  air,  and  she  could  get  it  better  in 
the  top  of  this  old  house  than  anywhere  else.  But 
now  that  she's  gone — I  can't  stand  it.  I'm  young, 
and  Miss  Matthews  is  away  all  day  teaching — and 
when  she  comes  home  at  night  we  have  nothing  in 
common,  and  there's  the  money  left  from  the  insur- 
ance— and  so— I'm  going  away." 

He  looked  at  her,  with  her  red-gold  hair  in  high 
relief  against  the  worn  leather  of  the  chair  in  which 
she  sat,  at  the  flower-like  face,  the  slender  figure,  the 
tiny  feet  in  childish  strapped  slippers. 

"  You  aren't  fit  to  fight  the  world,"  he  said ;  "  you 

aren't  fit" 

II 


GLORT  OF  YOUTH 

"  Perhaps  it  won't  be  such  a  fight,"  she  said.  "  I 
could  get  something  to  do  in  the  city,  and " 

He  shook  his  head.  "  You  don't  know — you 

can't  know "  Then  he  broke  off  to  ask, 

"  What  would  you  do  with  your  furniture  ?  " 

"  Miss  Matthews  would  be  glad  to  take  the  rooms 
just  as  they  are.  She  was  delighted  when  you 
asked  her  to  stay  with  me  after  mother  died.  She 
loves  our  old  things,  the  mahogany  and  the  banjo 
clock,  and  the  embroidered  peacocks,  and  the  Vene- 
tian heirlooms  that  belonged  to  Dad's  family.  But 
I  hate  them." 

"Hate  them— why?" 

"  Because,  oh,  you  know,  because  Dad  treated 
mother  so  dreadfully.  He  broke  her  heart." 

His  practiced  eye  saw  that  she  was  speaking 
tensely. 

"  I  wish  you'd  get  me  a  cup  of  tea,"  he  said,  sud- 
denly. "  I'm  just  from  the  sanatorium.  I  operated 
on  a  bad  case — and,  well,  that's  sufficient  excuse, 
isn't  it,  for  me  to  want  to  drink  a  cup  of  tea  with 
you  ?  " 

She  was  busy  in  a  moment  with  her  hospitality. 

"  Oh,  why  didn't  you  tell  me  ?     And  you're  wet." 

Her  hand  touched  his  coat  lightly  as  she  passed  him. 

12 


BET  TIN  A 

"  The  rain  came  so  suddenly  that  I  couldn't  get 
the  window  of  my  car  closed  ;  it's  an  awful  storm. 

"  And  now,"  he  said,  when  she  had  brought  the 
tea  on  an  old  Sheffield  tray,  and  had  set  it  on  a  little 
folding  table  which  he  placed  between  them  on  the 
hearth,  "  and  now  let's  talk  about  it." 

"  Please  don't  try  to  make  me  stay " 

"Why  not?" 

"  Because,  oh,  because  you  can't  know  what  I  suf- 
fer here ;  it  isn't  just  because  I've  lost  mother,  but  the 
people — they  all  know  about  her  and  about  Dad,  and 
they  aren't  nice  to  me." 

"  My  dear  child  !  " 

"  Perhaps  it's  because  father  was  a  singer  and  an 
Italian,  and  mother  came  of  good  old  Puritan  stock. 
They  seem  to  think  she  lowered  herself  by  marrying 
him.  They  can't  understand  that  though  he  was 
unkind  to  her,  he  belonged  to  an  aristocratic  Venetian 
family " 

"  It's  from  those  wonderful  women  of  Venice,  then, 
that  you  get  that  hair.  Do  you  remember  Browning's  t 

"  '  Dear  dead  women,  with  such  hair,  too — what's  become  of 

all  the  gold 

Used  to  hang  and  brush  their  bosoms  ?     I  feel  chilly  and 
grown  old.'  " 

13 


GLORT  OF  TOUTH 
There  was  no  response  to  his  thought  in  her  young 

eyes. 

"  I've  never  read  Browning,"  she  said,  negligently, 
"  and  I  hate  to  think  of '  dear  dead  women.'  I  want 
to  think  of  live  things,  of  bright  things,  of  gay 
things.  It  seems  sometimes  as  if  I  should  die  here 
among  the  shadows." 

She  was  sobbing  now,  with  her  head  on  the  table. 

"  Bettina,"  the  doctor  bent  over  her,  "  poor  child, 
poor  little  child." 

"  Please  let  me  go,"  she  whispered. 

"  I  can't  keep  you,  of  course.  I  wish  I  knew  what 
to  do.  I  wish  Diana  were  here." 

"  Diana  ?  " 

"  I  forgot  that  you  did  not  know  her.  She  has 
been  away  for  two  years.  She's  rather  wonderful, 
Bettina." 

The  girl  raised  her  head.  The  man  was  gazing 
straight  into  the  fire.  All  the  eager  light  that  had 
made  his  face  seem  young  had  gone,  and  he  looked 
worn  and  tired.  Bettina  had  no  worldly  intui- 
tions to  teach  her  the  reason  for  the  change  a 
woman's  name  had  wrought,  and  so  absorbed  was 
she  in  her  own  trouble  that  she  viewed  the  trans- 
formation  with  unseeing  eyes, 

14 


BETTING 

"  What  could  she  do  if  she  were  here  ?  "  she  asked 
with  childish  directness. 

"  She  would  find  some  way  out  of  it — she  is  very 
wise."  He  spoke  with  some  hesitation,  as  a  man 
speaks  who  holds  a  subject  sacred.  "  She  has  had  to 
decide  things  for  herself  all  her  life — her  father  and 
mother  died  when  she  was  a  little  girl ;  now  she  is 
over  thirty  and  the  mistress  of  a  large  fortune. 
She  spends  her  winters  in  the  city  and  her 
summers  down  here  by  the  sea — but  for  the  past 
two  years  she  has  been  staying  in  Eurcfpe  with 
a  widowed  friend  who  was  a  schoolmate  of  hers  in 
Berlin." 

"  When  is  she  coming  back  ?  " 

Out  of  a  long  silence,  he  answered,  "  I  am  not  sure 
that  she  will  come  back.  Her  engagement  was  an- 
nounced last  fall — to  a  German,  Ulric  Van  Rosen — 
she  is  to  be  married  in  June." 

The  fact,  to  him  so  pregnant  of  ^woeful  possibili- 
ties, meant  little  to  Bettina. 

"  Of  course  if  she's  not  here,  she  can't  do  anything 
— and  anyhow  most  people  don't  care  to  do  practical 
things  to  help,  do  they  ?  " 

She  looked  so  childish,  so  appealing,  so  altogether 
exquisite  and  young  in  her  black-robed  slenderness, 

IS 


GLORT  OF  TOUTH 

that  he  answered  her  as  he  would  have  answered  a 
child. 

"  It's  too  bad  that  the  world  should  hurt  you." 

"  But  I'm  going  to  do  wonderful  things  in  the 
city." 

"  Wonderful  things — poor  little  girl " 

As  he  brought  his  eyes  back  from  the  fire  to  her 
face,  he  seemed  to  bring  his  thoughts  back  from  an 
uneasy  reverie. 

"  You  ought,"  he  said,  "  to  marry " 

The  color  flamed  into  the  girl's  cheeks.  "  Mother 
was  always  saying  that,  in  those  last  days.  But  I 
hated  to  have  her ;  it  seemed  so  dreadful  to  talk  of 
marriage — without  love.  I  know  she  didn't  mean  it 
that  way,  poor  darling  1  She  married  for  love  and 
her  life  was  such  a  failure.  But  I  couldn't — not  just 
to  get  married,  could  I — not  just  to  have  some  one 
take  care  of  me  ?  " 

He  stood  up,  and  thrust  his  hands  in  his  pockets. 
"  No,"  he  agreed  bluffly,  "  you  couldn't,  of  course." 

"  And  there's  never  been  any  one  in  love  with  me," 
was  her  naive  confession,  "  and  I've  never  been  in 
Jove,  not  really ' 

He  was  looking  down  at  her  with  smiling  eyes. 

There  s  plenty  of  time." 

16 


EETTINA 

"  Yes — that's  what  I  always  told  mother — but  she 
dreaded  to  think  of  me — alone." 

The  eager,  dying  woman  had  said  the  same  thing 
to  the  doctor,  and  it  had  seemed  to  him,  sometimes, 
that  her  burning  eyes  had  begged  of  him  a  favor 
which  he  could  not  grant. 

For  there  had  always  been — Diana  ! 

He  straightened  his  shoulders.  "  I'm  going  to  ask 
you  to  stay  here,"  he  said,  "  instead  of  going  to  the 
city.  I  haven't  any  real  right  to  keep  you,  for  I'm 
not  legally  your  guardian,  but  I  promised  your 
mother  to  look  after  you.  I  can  find  work  for  you. 
We  need  some  one  at  the  sanatorium  to  look  after 
the  office " 

For  a  moment  she  set  her  will  against  his.  "  But 
I'd  rather  go  to  die  city." 

He  put  his  strong  hands  on  her  shoulders.  "  Lit- 
tie  child,  look  at  me,"  he  said,  and  when  she  flashed 
up  at  him  a  startled  glance,  he  went  on,  gently, 
"  Your  motner  wanted  me  to  take  care  of  you — to 
keep  you  from  harm.  In  the  city  you'll  be  too  fai 
away.  I  want  you  to  stay  here.  Will  you  ?  " 

And  presently  she  whispered,  "  I  will  stay." 

Outside  the  rain  was  rushing  and  the  wind  was 
Wowing,  and  plain  little  Miss  Matthews  battled  witb 


GLORT  OF  YOUTH 

the  storm.  Miss  Matthews,  who,  every  day  in  the 
year,  taught  a  class  of  tumultuous  children,  and 
whose  life  dealt  always  with  the  commonplace.  And 
it  was  plain  little  Miss  Matthews  who,  having  weath- 
ered the  storm  and  climbed  the  winding  stairs,  came 
in,  rain-coated  and  soft-hatted,  to  find  by  the  fire  the 
doctor  drawing  on  his  gloves  and  Bettina  hovering 
about  him  like  a  gold-tipped  butterfly. 

"  It's  a  dreadful  storm,"  said  Miss  Matthews,  su- 
perfluously, as  Bettina  went  to  get  boiling  water. 
"  There's  a  young  man  down-stairs  who  wants  to 
speak  to  you,  Dr.  Blake.  He  said  that  he  couldn't 
find  you  at  the  sanatorium.  He  saw  your  car  in 
front  of  the  house  and  knew  you  were  here.  But 
the  bell  wouldn't  ring,  and  so  he  waited.  I  told  him 
the  bell  was  broken  and  that  you'd  come  down  at 
once.  He's  hurt  his  hand." 

"They  would  have  fixed  him  up  at  the  sanato- 
rium." 

"  He  said  he  wanted  you,  and  nobody  else,  and 
that  he  came  into  the  hall  because  he  was  like  a 
pussy  cat  and  hated  the  rain.  He  is  a  queer  looking 
creature  in  a  leather  cap  and  leather  leggins." 

The  doctor  gave  an  amused  laugh.     "  That's  Justin 

Ford,"  he  said  ;  "  the  pussy-cat  speech  sounds  like 

18 


BETTINA 

him,  and  he  wears  the  leather  costume  when  he 
flies." 

Bettina,  coming  back  with  fresh  tea  for  Miss 
Matthews,  asked,  "  How  does  he  fly  ?  " 

"  In  an  aeroplane.  He's  to  try  out  his  hydro- 
aeroplane to-morrow.  He's  probably  been  at  work 
on  the  machinery  and  hurt  his  hand." 

Bettina  sparkled.  "  Think  of  a  man  who  can  fly," 
she  said.  "  Doesn't  it  sound  incredible  ?  " 

"  It's  the  most  marvelous  thing  in  the  world,"  said 
the  big-hearted  surgeon,  not  knowing  that  he,  as  a 
man  of  healing,  was  more  marvelous,  for  he  had  to  do 
with  the  mechanics  of  flesh  and  blood,  while  Justin 
had  to  do  only  with  steel  and  aluminum  and  canvas, 
which  are,  at  best,  unimportant  things  when  compared 
with  nerves  and  ligaments  and  bones. 

"Would  you  mind  if  Ford  came  up ?  "  the  doctor 
asked.  "  I've  got  to  go  straight  to  my  old  man  with 
the  pneumonia  after  I  leave  here,  and  I  could  look 
at  his  hand." 

Bettina  shivered.  "Shall  I  have  to  look  at  it?" 
she  asked  in  a  little  voice. 

He  laughed.  "  Of  course  not.  You  can  go  in  the 
other  room." 

But  when  the  young  man,  who  had  answered  the 

19 


GLORT  OF  YOUTH 

doctors  call,  entered,  she  did  not  go,  for  the  face 
which  was  framed  by  the  leather  cap  was  that  of  a 
youth  whose  beauty  matched  her  own,  and  whose 
mocking  eyes,  as  he  acknowledged  the  introduction, 
seemed  to  beat  against  the  door  of  her  maiden  heart 
and  demand  admission. 


CHAPTER  K 
IN  THE  SHADOWY  ROOM 

THE  injury  to  Justin's  hand  proved  to  be  one  of 
strain  and  sprain. 

"  A  bandage  for  a  few  days,"  the  doctor  pro- 
nounced, "  and  then  a  little  carefulness,  and  you'll 
be  all  right." 

Justin  lingered.  The  little  fire  was  like  a  heart  of 
gold  in  the  shadowy  room.  Plain  little  Miss  Mat- 
thews sipped  her  tea,  with  her  feet  on  the  fender. 
Bettina,  during  the  doctor's  examination  of  Justin's 
hand,  had  seated  herself  in  her  low  chair  on  the 
hearth,  and  now  her  eyes  were  fixed  steadily  on  the 
flames. 

"  It's  a  shivery,  shaky  sort  of  day,"  said  Justin, 
surveying  the  teapot  longingly,  and  Anthony 
laughed.  "  He  wants  his  tea,  Bettina,"  he  said, 
"  and  a  place  by  your  fire.  It's  another  of  his  pussy- 
cat traits — so  if  you'll  be  good  to  him,  I'll  have  an- 
other cup,  and  he  shall  tell  us  about  his  hydro-aero- 
plane." 


GLORT  OF  YOUTH 

Justin,  standing  in  front  of  the  fire,  was  like  ^ 
young  god  fresh  from  Olympus.  His  nose  was 
straight,  his  mocking  eyes  a  golden-brown,  and, 
with  his  cap  off,  his  upstanding  shock  of  hair  showed 
glittering  lights.  In  deference  to  the  prevailing 
fashion,  his  fair  little  mustache  was  slightly  upturned 
at  the  corners.  He  had  doffed  his  rain  coat,  and  ap- 
peared in  a  brown  Norfolk  suit  with  leather  leggins 
that  reached  his  knees. 

"  I'm  afraid  I've  intruded  upon  your  hospitality," 
he  said  to  Bettina,  as  she  handed  him  a  steaming 
cup,  "  but  I'm  always  falling  into  pleasant  things — 
and  I  haven't  the  will  power  to  get  out  when  I  should, 
truly  I  haven't.  But  it  isn't  my  fault — it's  just  a 
part  of  my  pussy-cat  inheritance." 

"  He  can  afford  to  say  such  things,"  Anthony  re- 
marked ;  "  he's  really  more  like  a  bird  than  a  pussy 
cat.  You  should  see  him  up  in  the  air.*' 

Justin's  eyes  flashed.  "  You  should  see  me  com- 
ing down  on  the  water  after  a  flight  By  Jove,  An- 
thony, that's  the  most  wonderful  little  machine.  I've 
called  her  'The  Gray  Gull'  because  she  not  only 
flies  but  swims— cuts  through  the  water  like  a  motor 
boat." 

As  he  talked   his  eyes  were  on  Bettina.     "You 

22 


IN  THE  SHADOWT  ROOM 

beauty,  you  beauty,"  was  the  thought  which  thrilled 
him. 

When,  at  last,  he  stood  up,  he  apologized  some- 
what formally.  "I've  stayed  too  long,"  he  said, 
"  but  Anthony  must  make  my  excuses.  I  was  down 
there  in  Purgatory — and  he  showed  me — Paradise." 

The  doctor  looked  at  him  sharply.  He  knew  Jus- 
tin as  a  man  of  the  world — gay,  irresponsible — and 
Bettina  had  no  one  to  watch  over  her. 

"  I'll  take  you  as  far  as  the  shops,"  he  said,  crisply, 
'  and  then  I  must  get  at  once  to  my  old  man  with 
the  pneumonia." 

As  the  two  men  rode  away  in  the  doctor's  small 
covered  car,  Justin  asked,  "  Where  did  you  discover 
her?"  Anthony,  his  eyes  fixed  on  the  muddy 
road  ahead  of  them,  gave  a  brief  outline  :  "  Profes- 
sionally. The  mother  died  in  those  rooms.  The 
girl  is  alone,  except  for  Miss  Matthews  and  the  old 
Lane  sisters  who  own  the  house  and  live  in  the  lower 
part.  I  have  constituted  myself  a  sort  of  guardian  for 
Bettina— the  mother  requested  it,  and  I  couldn't  re- 
fuse." 

"  I  see,"  Justin  asked  no  more  questions,  but  set- 
tled himself  back  in  a  cushioned  corner,  and  as  the 
two  men  rode  on  in  silence,  their  thoughts  were  cen- 

23 


GLORT  OF  TOUTH 

tered  on  the  single  vision  of  a  shadowy  room,  and  ol 
a  slender  golden-haired,  black-robed  figure  against  a 
background  of  glowing  flame. 

All  that  night  and  the  next  day  the  doctor  battled 
with  Death,  and  came  out  triumphant  By  four 
o'clock  in  the  afternoon  the  old  man  with  pneumonia 
showed  signs  of  holding  his  own. 

Worn  out,  Anthony  drove  back  toward  the  sana- 
torium. The  rain  was  over,  but  a  heavy  fog  had 
rolled  in,  so  that  the  doctor's  litde  car  seemed  to 
float  in  a  sea  of  cloud.  Now  and  then  another  car 
passed  him,  specter-like  amid  the  grayness.  Silent 
figures,  magnified  by  the  mist,  came  and  went  like 
shadow  pictures  on  a  screen.  From  the  far  distance 
sounded  the  incessant  moan  of  fog-horns« 

Anthony  stopped  his  car  in  front  of  a  small  shop, 
whose  lights  struggled  faintly  against  the  gloom. 

Crossing  the  threshold,  he  went  from  a  world  of 
dampness  and  chill  into  the  warmth  and  cheer  of  an 
old-fashioned  fish  house. 

For  fifty  years  there  had  been  no  change  in  Lilli- 
bridge's.  The  floor  of  the  main  room  was  bare  and 
clean,  and,  in  the  middle,  a  round  black  stove  ra- 
diated comfort  on  cold  days.  Along  one  side  of  the 

'•oom  ran  three  stalls,  in  which  were  placed  tables  for 

24 


IN  THE  SHADOWY  ROOM 

such  patrons  as  might  desire  partial  privacy.  On 
the  spick  and  span  counter  were  set  forth  various 
condiments  and  plates  of  crackers.  A  card,  tacked 
up  on  the  wall,  tempted  the  appetite  with  its  list 
of  sea  foods. 

Anthony  wanted  nothing  to  eat  He  ordered 
coffee,  and  went  into  one  of  the  stalls  to  drink  it. 

But  a  man  at  one  of  the  tables  in  the  main  part  of 
the  room  wanted  more  than  coffee.  He  was  a  little 
man  in  a  blue  reefer,  but  he  had,  evidently,  more 
than  a  little  appetite.  As  Anthony  sat  down,  he  was 
just  finishing  a  bowl  of  chowder,  and  was  gazing  with 
eyes  of  hungry  appreciation  upon  various  dishes  of 
fried  fish  and  fried  potatoes,  of  hot  rolls  and  pickles 
which  were  being  set  before  him. 

"  You'd  better  have  some,  doctor,"  was  his  hoarse 
invitation. 

"  Too  tired,"  said  Anthony.  "  I'll  wait  till  I've  had 
a  bath  and  rub-down  before  I  eat " 

"  What  you  need,"  said  the  little  man,  between 
large  mouthfuls,  "  is  a  good  day's  fishin'.  You 
come  out  to-morrow  morning,  and  we'll  catch  some 
cod." 

The  doctor's  tired  eyes  brightened.  "  There's  noth- 
ing that  I'd  like  better,  captain,  but  I've  got  an  old 

25 


GLORT  OF  TOUTH 

man  ill  of  pneumonia,  and  there's  a  girl  with  ap- 
pendicitis." 

"  There  you  go,"  said  the  little  man  ;  "  if  it  wasn't 
a  girl  with  appendicitis,  it  would  be  a  kid  with  the 
colic,  or  a  lady  with  a  claim  to  heart  trouble.  What 
you've  got  to  do,  doctor,  is  to  cut  it  all  out  and 
come  with  me." 

Anthony  shook  his  head.  "Suppose  some  one 
had  said  to  you  when  you  sailed  the  seas  that  you 
could  leave  the  ship ?" 

"  I  shouldn't  have  left,"  said  the  little  man,  "  but  I 
didn't  have  such  a  look  as  you've  got  in  your  eyesc 
What  you  need  is  a  good  night's  sleep,  and  a  day's 
fishin'.  And  you  need  it  now." 

Having  eaten  presently  his  last  morsel,  he  ordered 
a  piece  of  pie.  "  There's  nothing  like  sea  air  to 
blow  your  brains  clear,"  he  stated  "  And  when  this 
fog  lifts,  it'll  be  fine  fishin'  weather." 

Again  the  doctor  shook  his  head.  "I'd  like  it, 
more  than  a  little,  but  I've  got  to  stick  to  my  post." 

Captain  Stubbs  began  on  his  pie,  and  remarked, 
"  The  trouble  with  you  is  that  you're  mixed  up  with 
too  many  wimmen." 

Anthony's  head  went  up.     "  What  do  you  mean  ?  " 

"Wimmen,"   said  the  little  captain,    "are   bad 

26 


IN  THE  SHADOWT  ROOM 

enough  anyhow.     But  when  you  have  to  handle  a 
lot  of  wimmen  with  nerves,  then  the  Lord  help  you." 

He  said  it  so  solemnly  that  Anthony  threw  back 
his  head  and  laughed. 

"  Now,  up  at  that  sannytarium  of  yours,"  said  the 
captain,  "  there's  about  ten  of  them  that  need  to  be 
dipped  into  the  good  salt  sea  and  hung  up  in  the  sun 
to  dry,  and  that's  all  they  need,  no  coddling  and  medi- 
cine and  operations — but  just  a  cold  shock  and  a 
warm-up — and  a  day's  fishin'." 

And  now  Anthony  did  not  laugh.  "  By  Jove,"  he 
said,  "  I  believe  you're  right  I'm  going  to  try  some 
personally  conducted  parties,  and  you  shall  take 
them  out,  captain " 

"  Me ?  "  the  captain  demanded,  incredulously. 

"  Me  take  those  wimmen  out  fishin'  ?  " 

Anthony  nodded.  "  Yes,  once  a  week.  Is  it  a  bar- 
gain ?  " 

The  captain  stood  up.  "  No,  it  ain't,"  he  said, 
firmly.  "  I'll  take  you  and  gladly  But  not  any  of 
that  nervous  bunch." 

He  settled  his  cap  firmly  on  his  head,  and  went 
toward  the  door.  Then  he  turned.  "  Some  day," 
he  said,  "  I'm  going  to  ask  that  Betty  child  to  go  out 
in  my  boat." 

27 


GLORT  OF  YOUTH 

"  Bettina?  "  Anthony's  mind  went  swiftly  to  the 
shadowed  room. 

"  Yes.     She's  lonesome,  and  so  was  her  mother 
I  used  to  take  fish  up  to  them,  and  I  showed  the 
Betty  child  how  to  make  chowder." 

"  She  told  me,"  said  Anthony.  "  You're  one  of 
her  best  friends,  captain." 

"  Well,  goodness  only  knows  she  needs  friends," 
said  the  little  captain,  adding  with  a  significant 
emphasis  which  escaped  the  preoccupied  Anthony, 
"  She  needs  somebody  to  take  care  of  her." 

Receiving  no  response,  the  little  man  lighted  his 
pipe,  buttoned  his  coat,  and,  remarking  genially, 
"  Well,  you  let  me  know  about  that  day's  fishin'," 
he  steamed  out. 

After  his  departure  Anthony  sat  for  some  time  in 
the  deserted  room.  He  knew  that  rest  and  refresh- 
ment were  waiting  for  him  and  he  knew  that  he 
needed  them,  but  his  mind  was  weighed  down  by  the 
problem  of  that  helpless  child  in  the  old  house.  All 
through  the  night  as  he  had  battled  for  the  life  of  his 
patient,  he  had  thought  of  her,  who  must  battle  with 
the  world.  He  could  get  her  work,  of  course,  but  he 
shrank  from  the  thought  of  her  pale  loveliness  set  to 

sordid  uses. 

28 


IN  THE  SHADOWT  ROOM 

With  a  sudden  gesture  of  resolution,  he  stood  up 
and  drew  on  his  gloves. 

Ten  minutes  later  he  was  climbing  the  winding 
stairway,  where  the  iron  lantern  again  illumined  the 
darkness. 

There  had  been  no  response  to  his  call  from  be- 
low, and  when  he  reached  the  upper  landing  he 
found  the  door  shut.  He  knocked  and  presently 
Bettina  came.  He  saw  at  a  glance  that  she  had  been 
crying. 

"  I  can  stay  only  a  minute,"  he  said.  "  I  haven't 
had  much  sleep  since  I  saw  you  yesterday." 

"  I'll  make  you  some  tea,"  she  offered,  but  he 
stopped  her  with  a  quick,  "  No,  no, — I've  just  had 
coffee,  and  I  must  get  home." 

They  sat  down,  somewhat  stiffly,  on  opposite  sides 
of  the  hearth. 

"  What  made  you  cry  ?  "  he  asked,  with  his  keen 
eyes  on  her  downcast  face. 

"  Everything — the  rain  yesterday — the  fog  to-day. 
I  wish  the  sun  would  shine — I  wish — I  were 
-dead " 

With  a  sharp  exclamation,  he  stood  up.  "  You're 
too  young  to  say  such  things — there's  all  of  life  be- 
fore you." 


GLORT  OF  YOUTH 

"Yes,"  she  said  dully  "there's  all  of  life " 

To  him  she  was  a  most  appealing  figure.  Her 
weakness  seemed  to  stand  out  against  the  back- 
ground of  his  strength.  Suddenly  he  held  out  his 
hands  to  her.  "  Come  here,  Betty  child,"  he  said, 
using,  unconsciously,  the  little  captain's  name  for 
her,  "  come  here." 

Some  new  note  in  his  voice  made  her  cheeks 
flame,  but  she  obeyed  him.  He  took  both  of  her 
hands  in  his.  "  I've  been  thinking  of  you,  and  your 
future.  Somehow  I  can't  see  you,  a  little  slip  of  a 
thing  like  you,  being  beaten  and  bruised  by  the 
hard  things  of  life.  The  world  is  cruel  and  you  are 
so — sweet  You  need  some  one  to  take  care  of 


you " 

"Yes,"  she  whispered;  "  but  there  isn't  any  one." 

"  Except  me.  And  I'm  such  an  old  fellow — years 
too  old  for  you.  But  I'm  alone,  and  you're  alone. 
Could  I  make  you  happy,  Betty  child  ?  " 

She  stared  at  him,  all  the  bright  color  gone  from 
her  face 

"  Why,  how  ?  "    Her  voice  fluttered  and  died. 

"  As  my  wife.  There's  the  big  house  on  the  rocks 
that  I  am  building." 

He  faltered.  The  great  house  had  been  built  for 

30 


IN  THE  SHADOWT  ROOM 

Diana,  on  a  sudden  hopeful  impulse  that  when  it 
was  finished  she  would  consent  to  be  its  mistress. 

"There's  the  big  house,"  he  went  on,  after  a 
moment,  "  and  there's  money  enough  and  to  spare. 
Not  that  I  want  you  to  marry  me  for  that,  but  I 
think  I  could  comfort  you  in  your  loneliness, 
Bettina." 

In  her  secluded  girlhood  there  had  been  no 
opportunity  for  masculine  adoration ;  hence  there 
seemed  nothing  lacking  when  this  man  of  men, 
whose  coming  during  her  mother's  illness  had  made 
the  one  bright  spot  in  her  day,  whose  sympathy 
had  comforted  her  in  her  sorrow,  whose  friendship 
had  sustained  her  in  the  months  which  had  followed 
her  great  loss,  when  he  spoke  of  marriage  with 
never  a  word  of  love. 

"  But  I'm  not  wise  enough  or  good  enough,"  she 
said,  with  a  quick  catch  of  her  breath. 

He  drew  her  to  him,  holding  her  gently. 

"  Would  you  like,"  he  asked,  "  would  you  like 
to  think  that  all  your  life  I  should  take  care  of 
you  ?  " 

She  lay  quietly,  not  answering  for  a  while,  then 
she  whispered,  "  Do  you  really  want  me  ?  " 

Perhaps  his  arm  relaxed  a  little,  but   his   voice 


GLORT  OF  YOUTH 

was  very   steady.      "  I   really   want   to   make   you 
happy." 

"  And  you'll  let  me  love  you  with  all  my  heart?" 
Her  eyes  were  hidden. 

He  put  his  hand  against  the  softness  of  her  hair, 
turning  her  face  up  toward  him.  "  I  shall  hope  that 
you  may  love  me  with  all  your  heart,  and  that  I 
may  be  worthy  of  it." 

Her  hand  crept  up  and  touched  his  cheek.  "  Kiss 
me,"  she  whispered,  like  a  child. 

He  would  have  been  less  than  a  man  if  his  heart 
had  not  leaped  a  little,  if  he  had  not  responded  to 
the  love  call  of  this  wistful  white  and  gold  woman 
creature. 

"  My  dear,"  he  said,  brokenly,  and  bent  his  head. 

On  the  foggy  streets  below  men  and  women 
passed  and  repassed  like  ghosts  in  the  stillness. 
Little  Miss  Matthews,  meeting  Captain  Stubbs  on  a 
street  corner,  was  unconscious  of  his  nearness  until 
the  little  captain,  guided  by  that  sixth  sense,  which  is 
given  to  sailors  for  their  protection  at  sea,  hailed 
her. 

"  You  needn't  hurry  home/'  he  told  her ;  "  that 
Betty  child  don't  want  you.  Dr.  Blake  is  there 
That's  his  car/' 

32 


IN  THE  SHADOWY  ROOM 

"  He  was  there  yesterday,"  said  Miss  Matthews, 
disturbed  by  the  doctor's  departure  from  his  usual 
routine. 

"  And  he'll  probably  be  there  to-morrow ;  he's 
getting  sweet  on  that  Betty  child,  Miss  Mattie." 

"  Oh,  dear,  no,"  said  the  shocked  Miss  Matthews. 
"  Why,  he's  in  love  with  Diana  Gregory." 

The  captain  gazed  at  her  blankly.  "  You  don't 
mean  it,"  he  protested. 

"  Yes,  I  do,"  said  Miss  Matthews  ;  "  they've  known 
each  other  all  their  lives.  But  she  doesn't  want  to 
settle  down," 

"  Well,  she'd  better  look  out,"  said  the  little  cap- 
tain ;  "  men  won't  wait  forever." 

"  Men  like  Anthony  Blake,"  returned  Miss  Mat- 
thews with  conviction,  "  will.  And  as  for  Bettina, 
she's  nothing  but  a  child  ! " 

The  little  captain  carried  the  conversation  over, 
tactfully,  to  his  favorite  topic.  •'  I  want  you  and  that 
Betty  child  to  go  with  me  for  a  day's  fishin'  soon," 
he  said  ;  "you  just  name  the  day." 

Little  Miss  Matthews  hated  the  sea,  with  the 
hatred  of  a  woman  whose  ancestors  had  made  their 
living  on  the  Banks  and  had  been  drowned  in  storms. 
But  she  liked  the  captain.  "  I  am  sure  you  are  very 

33 


GLORT  OF  TOUTH 

kind,"  she  said,  primly,  "  but  it  will  have  to  be  Sat- 
urday when  there  isn't  any  school." 

"  All  right,"  said  the  captain, — "  make  it  a  week 
from  Saturday,  and  we'll  probably  have  clearing 
weather." 

The  doctor,  going  down,  met  little  Miss  Mat- 
thews. Bettina,  leaning  over  the  rail,  greeted  the 
little  lady  somewhat  self-consciously.  "I'll  make 
your  tea  in  a  minute,"  she  said  ;  "  the  doctor  didn't 
want  any." 

When  Anthony  reached  the  bottom  of  the  stair, 
he  looked  up.  The  faint  light  of  the  lantern  drew  a 
circle  of  radiance  about  Bettina's  head. 

"Wait,"  she  called  softly,  and  came  down  to 
him,  and  in  the  darkness  whispered  that  she  was 
happy,  so  very  happy — and  would  she  see  him 
soon? 

"  To-morrow,"  he  promised,  and  went  away  with 
his  pulses  pounding. 

All  the  way  home  he  thought  of  her.  She  had 
been  charming.  He  felt  like  an  adventuring  knight, 
who,  having  killed  all  the  dragons,  rescues  the 
captive  princess  from  her  tower.  She  was  a  dear 
uhild.  A  dear — child. 

At  the  sanatorium  he  had  a  bath  and  a  good 

34 


IN  THE  SHADOWY  ROOM 

dinner,  and  made  his  rounds.  One  little  woman, 
when  he  had  passed,  spoke  to  another  of  his  smile. 
*  It  is  as  if  he  were  happy  in  his  heart,"  she  said, 
quaintly  ;  "  before  this  his  eyes  have  been  sad." 

Later  the  doctor  found  time  to  read  his  mail.  On 
the  top  of  the  pile  of  letters  was  a  thick  one  in  a 
gray  envelope  addressed  in  feminine  script  He 
opened  it  and  read  eagerly.  Then  he  sat  very  still, 
trying,  amid  all  the  beating  agony  of  emotion,  to 
grasp  the  truth  as  she  had  told  it.  Diana  was  free. 
Her  engagement  was  broken.  She  was  coming 
back  to  America.  "  I  am  coming  home  to  the  big 
house — and  to  you — Anthony."  And  she  would  be 
there  in  just  ten  days  1 


CHAPTER  III 

IN  WHICH   DIANA   REAPS 

ALL  the  way  down  in  the  train  Diana  kept  say- 
ing to  her  friend,  "  I  am  so  glad  you  are  go- 
ing to  see  my  house,  Sophie.     You  can't  imagine 
how  lovely  it  is." 

But  even  then  Mrs.  Martens  was  not  prepared. 
She  was  given  a  room  on  the  third  floor  from  which 
glass  doors  opened  on  a  little  balcony  which  over- 
hung the  harbor.  It  was  like  the  upper  deck  of  a 
ship  with  the  open  sea  to  the  right  and  left,  and  with 
a  strip  of  green  peninsula  cutting  into  it  beyond  the 
causeway. 

"  That's  the  Neck,"  Diana  explained  ;  "  the  yacht 
clubs  are  over  there  and  some  hotels  and  big  houses, 
But  I  like  it  on  this  side,  in  the  town.  It's  so  quaint 
and  lovely.  I'll  show  you  some  of  it  to-morrow 
morning." 

"  I'm  not  going  anywhere  to-morrow  morning.  I 
am  going  to  sleep  until  noon." 

Diana  bent  and  kissed  her.  "  Poor  thing,  is  she 
tired?" 

35 


IN  WHICH  DIANA  REAPS 

"Dead." 

"  Well,  I  won't  wake  you.  But  I  am  going  to  be 
up  with  the  dawn,  Sophie." 

Mrs.  Martens  turned  and  looked  at  her.  "  Is  An- 
thony here  ?  " 

"  Yes." 

Diana  caught  her  breath  as  she  said  it,  and  the 
two  friends  stood,  silently,  looking  over  the  harbor. 

The  twilight  was  taking  the  blue  out  of  the  water, 
but  the  beauty  was  still  there — with  the  lights  on  the 
anchored  boats  twinkling  like  stars  in  the  grayness, 
and  the  lighthouse  making  a  great  moon  above  them. 

"  When  will  you  see  him,  Diana  ?  " 

"  To-night" 

"Then  I'm  going  to  bed." 

"  You're  not — I  want  you  to  meet  him,  Sophie." 

"  You  want  him  every  bit  for  yourself.  Don't  be 
a  hypocrite,  Diana." 

Diana  laid  her  hands  on  Sophie's  shoulders  and 
shook  her  a  little,  laughing. 

"  Sophie,  do  you  ever  feel  so  young  that  you  are 
almost  wild  with  it — as  if  there  hadn't  been  any 
years  since  you  wore  pinafores  and  pigtails  ?  " 

"No— I'm  thirty-five,  Diana" 

"  Don't  shout  it  from  the  housetops.  I'm  a  very 

37 


GLORT  OF  TOUTH 

few  years  behind.     What  a  lot  of  wasted  years,  So- 
phie." 

"  It's  your  own  fault,  Diana." 

"  But  I  wanted  to  be  free " 

"  And  now  you  are  longing  for  your  prison " 

"  With  Anthony — yes." 

"You'd  better  go  down  and  dress,  dear.  Put  on 
that  pale  blue,  with  your  pearls,  Diana.  It  fits  in 
with  the  moonlight." 

"  Then  you  won't  come  down  ?  " 

"  No.     I'll  have  Peter  for  company." 

Peter  Pan  was  Diana's  cat.  He  was  as  yellow  as 
a  harvest  moon,  he  was  fed  on  fish,  and  was  of  a 
prodigious  fatness.  During  Diana's  sojourn  abroad 
he  had  been  looked  after  by  Delia  Hobbs. 

Delia  was  Diana's  housekeeper.  She  had  a  lame 
hip  and  a  lovely  mind.  She  went  up  to  Mrs.  Mar- 
tens' room  after  Diana  had  left  to  see  if  the  little 
lady  was  comfortable  for  the  night. 

She  eyed  Peter  Pan,  who  was  in  the  middle  of  the 
big  bed. 

"  Peter,"  she  said,  severely,  "  that's  no  place  for 
you." 

Peter  rolled  over,  and  clawed  the  lace  spread 
luxuriously 

38 


IN  WHICH  DIANA  REAPS 

"  Shall  I  take  him  off,  ma'am  ?  "  Delia  asked. 

"It's  nice  to  have  him  here,"  said  Mrs.  Martens, 
doubtfully,  "  but  perhaps  I  ought  not  to  let  him  stay. 
You  know  best,  Delia." 

Delia,  a  little  flattered  by  such  deference,  hesitated. 
"  I  might  bring  his  basket  up  here,"  she  said  ;  "  he 
isn't  a  bit  of  trouble.  He  just  goes  to  sleep  and 
doesn't  wake  up  until  morning." 

As  Delia  opened  the  door  to  go  down,  the  rippling 
measures  of  "  The  Spring  Song,"  played  softly,  came 
up  to  them.  Sophie  had  a  vision  of  Diana  in  her 
shimmering  gown,  waiting  in  the  moonlight  for  An- 
thony. 

Delia  came  back  with  the  basket  It  was  of  brown 
wicker  with  brown  cushions.  Peter,  curled  up  in  it, 
made  a  sunflower  combination. 

"  You  are  sure  you're  all  right,  Miss  Sophie  ?  "  De- 
lia asked  as  she  stood  on  the  threshold.  "  If  you 
don't  want  the  electric  light,  there's  a,  candle  on  your 
table,  and  if  you  like  the  air  straight  from  the  sea  you 
can  open  the  door  on  the  porch.  Miss  Diana  used 
to  like  to  lie  and  look  at  the  moonlight." 

The  whole  world  seemed  obsessed  by  the  moon- 
light Its  white  radiance,  when  Mrs.  Martens  at  last 
turned  off  the  glaring  bulbs,  seemed  to  cast  a  spell 

39 


GLORT  OF  YOUTH 

over  sea  and  land.  She  stepped  out  on  the  porch, 
and  was  awed  by  the  beauty  of  the  wide  sweep  of 
shining  sky  and  sea.  Then,  far  below  on  the  hid- 
den road,  she  heard  the  beat  of  a  motor. 

The  sound  ceased  and  a  man's  quick  step  came 
up  the  path.  There  was  the  whirr  of  an  electric 
bell,  and  she  knew  that  Anthony  had  come. 

Well,  Diana  had  her  Anthony — and  she  had — 
Peter  !  She  laughed  a  litde  to  stifle  a  sigh.  Diana 
had  the  substance — she  her  shadowy  memories. 

A  faint  breeze  had  sprung  up.  The  yachts 
tugged  at  their  moorings  as  the  tide  turned.  Far  to 
die  southeast  Minot's  light  blinked  its  one-four- 
three — "  I-warn-you  " — message  to  the  ships.  Diana 
had  once  said  of  it,  "  The  sweethearts  off  the  coast 
translate  it  differently — '  I-love-you.'  That's  what 
Anthony  told  me." 

How  she  had  always  quoted  him !  Even  when 
for  a  brief  time  she  had  drifted  toward  that  other,  she 
had  clung  to  her  belief  in  Anthony's  faith  and  good- 
ness— and  when  she  had  shaken  herself  free  she  had 
flown  back  to  him. 

And  now — in  the  dim  room  below  Diana  was  com- 
ing at  last  into  her  own  ! 

The  little  lady  crept  into  bed,  shivering — perhaps 

40 


IN  WHICH  DIANA  REAPS 

with  the  chill  of  the  spring  night,  perhaps  with  the 
thought  of  the  happiness  from  which  she  was  left 
out. 

Presently  she  heard  again  the  beat  of  the  motor. 
Beginning  in  front  of  the  house,  it  grew  fainter  in  the 
distance  ;  then  silence,  and  at  last  a  soft  step  on  the 
stairs. 

"  Sophie,"  there  was  that  in  Diana's  voice  which 
made  her  sit  up  and  listen,  "  Sophie,  are  you  asleep?" 

Mrs.  Martens  lighted  the  bedside  candle  with 
shaking  hands.  Diana  came  forward  into  the  circle 
of  light.  Diana — with  all  of  youth  gone  from  her 
Diana  stripped  of  joy.  Diana  with  the  shimmering 
blue  gown  seeming  to  mock  the  tragedy  in  her  face. 

She  came  up  to  the  bed  and  stood  looking  down 
at  her  friend. 

"  Listen,  Sophie,"  she  said,  brokenly,  "  see  what 
I've  done.  Anthony  is  engaged,  Sophie  Engaged 
to  another  girl '  " 

Peter,  in  his  basket,  slept  soundly  all  night  But 
Sophie  slept  not  at  all.  And  early  in  the  morning 
she  went  down  to  her  friend. 

Diana  had  taken  the  room  which  had  been  her 
mother's.  She  had  kept  the  carved  canopy  bed  and 


GLORT  OF  TOUTH 

other  massive  pieces,  but  she  had  changed  the 
hangings  and  the  wall  covering  from  mauve  to  rose- 
color. 

"  You  see,  Sophie,"  she  had  explained  one  day  in 
Berlin,  "  there  comes  a  time  in  the  life  of  every 
woman  when  she  needs  rose-color  to  counteract  the 
gray  of  her  existence.  If  you  put  blue  with  gray  you 
get  gray.  But  if  you  put  pink  with  gray  you  get 
rose-color.  Perhaps  you  didn't  know  that  before, 
Sophie,  but  now  you  do.  And  you'll  know  also  that 
when  I  dare  wear  a  blue  gown  I  am  feeling  posi- 
tively infantile." 

Diana,  in  neglige,  had  always  made  Mrs.  Martens 
think  of  a  rose  in  bloom.  She  had  a  fashion  of 
swathing  her  head,  cap-fashion,  in  wide  pink  ribbon, 
and  her  crlpe  kimonos  always  reflected  the  same  en- 
chanting hue. 

But  this  morning  it  was  a  white  rose  which  lay 
back  on  the  pillows.  Diana's  loose  brown  braids 
hung  straight  down  on  each  side  of  her  pale  face. 
There  were  shadows  under  her  eyes. 

"  Don't  look  at  me  that  way,  Sophie,"  she  said, 
sharply,  as  Mrs.  Martens  came  up  to  the  bed.  "  I — 
I'm  not  going  into  a  decline — or  break  my  heart — 

or " 

42 


IN  WHICH  DIANA  REAPS 

She  broke  off  and  said  in  a  changed  voice, 
;*  You're  a  dear."  Then  with  a  pitiful  little  laugfy 
"'  It  wouldn't  be  so  hard — but  she's  so  young, 
Sophie." 

"  Eighteen — poor  Anthony  1 " 

"  Do  you  think  he  is  really  unhappy,  Sophie  ?  " 

The  night  before  when  she  had  lain  in  Mrs. 
Martens'  comforting  arms,  she  had  thought  only  of 
her  own  misery.  For  a  time  she  had  been  just  a  lit- 
tle sobbing  child  to  be  consoled.  All  her  poise,  all 
her  self-restraint  had  gone  down  under  the  force  of 
the  overwhelming  shock. 

But  now  a  wild  hope  sprang  up  in  her  breast. 
Why  should  two  people  suffer  for  the  sake  of  one  ? 
And  the  other  girl  was  so  young — she  would  get 
over  it 

Yet,  remembering  Anthony's  face  as  he  had  left 
her,  she  had  little  hope. 

"  I  wish  you  might  have  been  prepared  for  this," 
he  had  said.  "  I  wrote  a  letter,  but  it  must  have 
missed  you.  Perhaps  it  has  been  best  to  talk  it  out 
— that's  why  I  came.  May  I  still  come,  sometimes^ 
Diana  ?  " 

Then  her  pride  had  risen  to  meet  the  crisis. 

"  As  if  anything  could  spoil  our  friendship,  An- 

43 


GLORT  OF  TOUTH 

thony,"  she  had  told  him  bravely.     "  I  want  you  to 
come — and  some  day  you  must  bring — the  Girl." 

"  You  will  like  her,"  he  had  said,  eagerly,  with  a 
man's  blundering  confidence,  "  and  you  can  help  her. 
She  is  very  lonely,  Diana — and  I  vvas  lonely " 

That  had  been  the  one  shred  of  apology  which  he 
had  vouchsafed  for  the  act  which  had  spoiled  their 
lives. 

When  he  had  first  entered  the  moonlighted  room, 
she  had  turned  from  the  piano  and  had  held  out  her 
hands  to  him. 

He  had  taken  them,  and  had  stood  looking  down 
at  her,  with  eyes  which  spoke  what  his  lips  would 
not  say. 

And  at  last  he  had  asked,  "  Why  didn't  you  marry 
that  fellow  in  Berlin,  Di  ?  " 

"  Because  I  didn't  love  him,  Anthony.  I  found 
out  just  in  time — and  I  found  out,  too,  just  in  time 
that- — it  was  you — Anthony." 

Then  he  had  said,  "  Hush,"  and  had  dropped  her 
hands,  and  after  a  long  time,  he  had  spoken.  "  DL, 
I've  asked  another  woman  to  marry  me,  and  she  has 
said,  'Yes.'" 

Out  of  a  stunned  silence  she  had  whispered.  "How 
—did  it  happen  ?  " 

44 


IN  WHICH  DIANA  REAPS 

"  Don't  ask  me — it  is  done — and  it  can't  be  un* 
done — we  have  made  a  mess  of  things,  Diana " 

He  gave  the  bare  details  ;  of  the  sick  mother  who 
had  crept  back  after  years  of  absence  to  die  in  her 
own  town,  of  the  girl  and  her  loneliness,  of  her  child 
like  faith  in  him. 

When  he  had  finished,  she  had  laid  her  hand  on 
his  arm.  "  But  do  you  love  her,  do  you  really  love 
her,  Anthony  ?  "  had  been  her  desolate  demand. 

He  had  drawn  back,  and  not  meeting  her  eyes,  had 
said,  very  low,  "  You  haven't  the  right  to  ask  that 
question,  Di,  or  I  to  answer  it " 

And  in  that  moment  she  had  realized  that  the  bar- 
rier which  separated  herself  and  Anthony  was  high 
enough  to  shut  out  happiness. 

"  Oh — oh."  As  Diana's  thoughts  came  back  to  the- 
present,  she  sat  up  in  bed  and  wept  helplessly.  "  Ohv 
I  don't  know  what  I  am  going  to  do,  Sophie,,  I've 
always  been  so  self-sufficient,  and  now  it  seems  as  if 
my  whole  world  revolves  about  one  man " 

Never  before  had  Diana,  self-contained  Dianas 
talked  to  her  friend  of  the  things  which  lay  deep 
beneath  the  surface,  but  now  she  revealed  her  soul 
to  the  little  woman  who  had  known  love  in  all  its 
fulfilment,  and  who,  having  lost  that  love,  still  lived 

45 


GLORT  OF  TOUTH 

"  What  you  must  do,"  said  Sophie,  softly,  "  is  to 
face  it.  You've  got  to  look  at  the  thing  squarely, 
dearest-dear.  It  is  because  you  and  Anthony  forgot 
to  keep  burning  the  sacred  fires  that  this  trouble  has 
come  upon  you." 

"  What  do  you  mean,  Sophie  ?  " 

"  When  two  people  love  each  other,"  said  Sophie, 
slowly,  "it  is  a  wonderful  thing,  a  sacred  thing, 
Diana.  What  you  gave  Ulric  was  not  love — you 
were  fascinated  for  the  moment,  and  when  you  found 
him  disappointing,  you  let  him  go  lightly,  yet  all  the 
time,  deep  in  your  heart,  was  this  great  Anthony — is 
it  not  so,  my  Diana  ?  " 

"Yes,"  the  other  whispered,  with  her  face 
hidden. 

"  And  Anthony,  when  he  thought  he  had  lost  you, 
took  this  little  girl  to  fill  your  place — and  she  can 
never  fill  it,  and  so  because  each  of  you  has  made 
of  love  a  light  thing,  you  must  have  your  punish- 
ment. We  must  reap  what  we  sow,  Diana. 

"  Don't  think  I  am  not  sympathetic,  liebchen," 
she  went  on,  "  but,  oh,  Diana,  I'd  rather  see  you  this 
way  than  with  Ulric  Van  Rosen  as  your  lover." 

She  knelt  by  the  bed  with  her  arms  about  her 
friend.  Two  years  before  Diana  had  comforted 

46 


IN  WHICH  DIANA  REAPS 

Sophie  when  death  had  claimed  the  great-hearted 
husband  who  had  made  the  little  woman's  life  com- 
plete. Since  then  they  had  clung  together,  and 
there  had  developed  in  Sophie  an  almost  maternal 
devotion  for  the  brilliant  girl  who  had  hitherto  moved 
through  life  triumphant  and  serene. 

Delia,  at  the  door,  presented  a  worried  face.  "  I've 
got  some  milk  toast  for  Miss  Diana,"  she  explained, 
"  and  your  breakfast  is  waiting  for  you,  Miss 
Sophie " 

"  Breakfast,"  Diana  pushed  back  the  brown  bright- 
ness of  her  hair  and  laughed  hysterically  ;  "  is  that 
the  way  the  world  must  go  on  for  me  now,  Sophie  ? 
You  know — for  you've  been  through  it — must  I  eat 
and  drink  and  be  merry  when  my  heart  is — 
broken ?" 

"  Hush."  Again  she  was  in  Sophie's  arms.  "  Delia 
will  hear." 

But  Delia's  imagination  had  not  grasped  the  pos- 
sibility of  any  mental  or  spiritual  disturbance.  "  I 
guess  she's  got  one  of  her  mother's  headaches,"  she 
said,  as  she  edged  herself  further  into  the  room.  "  I 
always  knew  she'd  have  them  some  day — although 
up  to  now  she's  been  perfectly  well.*' 

"  Set  the  tray  on  the  table,  Delia,"  Mrs.  Martens 

47 


GLORT  OF  YOUTH 

spoke  over  her  shoulder,  "  and  I'll  come  down  pres- 
ently— and  you  might  go  up  and  get  Peter.  I  think 
I  shut  the  door  as  I  came  out " 

Delia  took  the  hint  "  There's  broiled  fish  and 
waffles,"  she  complained,  as  she  departed,  "  and  they 
don't  taste  any  better  for  waiting." 

"You  go  down,  Sophie,"  said  Diana,  when  they 
were  alone — "  and  I'll  get  up  presently,  and  then — 
I'll  see  some  way  out  of  it " 

At  her  tone,  her  friend  who  had  crossed  the  room 
to  pull  up  the  shades  turned  and  looked  at  her, 
"  What  way  can  you  see,  Diana  ?  " 

Diana  slipped  out  of  bed  and  stood  up,  tall  and 
white,  with  the  long  brown  braids  hanging  heavily 
to  her  knees. 

"  There  must  be  some  way,"  she  said,  "  for  all  of 
us.  I  don't  believe  in  sitting  down  and  letting  things 
go  wrong,  and  they  may  be  as  wrong  for  that  little 
girl  as  for  Anthony  and  me — surely  one  must  use 
common  sense  in  a  case  like  this " 

Sophie  pulled  up  the  curtain,  letting  in  a  flood  of 
sunshine. 

"  One  may  use  common  sense,"  she  said,  "  but  one 
must  be  very  careful " 

Diana  twisted  her  braids  into  a  coronet,  and  put 
48 


IN  WHICH  DIANA  REAPS 

on  a  padded  Japanese  robe,  for  the  air  blew  cool 
from  the  sea.  Then  she  sat  down  at  her  desk. 

"  I  am  going  to  ask  her  to  come  and  visit  me,  So- 
phie. I  want  you  to  take  the  letter  when  you  go 
down  to  breakfast" 

"  To  visit  you — who  ?  " 

"  Bettina.  She  can  stay  until  Anthony's  big  house 
is  ready.  I  want  to  know  his  little  girl." 

While  Diana  wrote  her  note,  Sophie  stepped  out 
on  the  porch  which  matched  her  own  above  it.  The 
harbor  lay  still  and  beautiful,  a  sapphire  sheet  in  the 
morning  calm.  The  anchored  boats  seemed  to  sleep 
like  great  white  birds  on  its  bosom. 

Suddenly  there  broke  upon  the  stillness  the  sound 
of  a  great  buzzing,  as  of  some  mammoth  bee. 

"  What  is  it  ?  "  asked  Diana,  standing  in  the  door- 
way. 

"  Look,  oh,  look,"  cried  Sophie,  and  then  they  saw 
above  them,  darting  like  a  dragon-fly  through  the 
golden  haze,  a  magic  ship  of  the  air. 

"I  wonder  who's  flying,"  said  Diana,  as  they 
watched  it  go  up  and  up  until  it  was  a  mere  speck 
against  the  blue.  "  They  are  daring  folk,  these  fly  • 
ing  men — yet  there  are  men  more  daring.  If  you 
could  see  Anthony's  hands  !  Those  strong,  comp^- 

49 


GLORT  OF  TOUTH 

tent  hands  that  work  with  instruments  and  surgeon's 
needles,  and  a  slip  may  mean  some  one's  life — it's 
such  men  who  are  the  bravest,  Sophie,  not  the  men 
who  fly." 

The  little  woman  stepped  back  within  the  circle  of 
her  friend's  arm.  Diana  towered  a  head  above  her, 
yet  spiritually  she  leaned  on  Sophie's  fineness  and 
faith. 

Their  eyes  followed  that  astounding  flight,  but 
their  thoughts  were  with  a  man  whose  mornings 
were  spent  not  in  the  golden  radiance  of  the  upper 
air,  but  in  the  bare  blackness  of  an  operating  room. 

Suddenly  Diana  spoke  sharply.  "  If  I  have  lost 
him,  Sophie,  what  shall  I  do  ?  " 

"  What  do  all  women  do,"  said  Sophie,  still  gaz. 
ing  with  rapt  face  up  into  the  heavens,  "  what  do  alJ 
women  do  who  lose  the  men  they  love  ?  They  pray 
for  courage,  Diana,  and  for  strength — and  then — and 
then  they  fight  as  best  they  can  until  the  end — 
Diana." 


CHAPTER  IV 

WHITE  LILACS 

ISN'T  it  dear  of  her  to  ask  me  ?  " 
"  Very."  Anthony  took  the  note  which  Bet- 
tina  handed  him.  In  his  desk  were  many  letters 
written  on  the  gray  paper  with  the  silver  monogram. 
Subconsciously  he  realized  that  he  ought  to  des- 
troy them,  but  there  was  time  enough  for  that. 

"  She  says  she  wants  me  to  stay  with  her  all  sum- 
mer ;  do  you  think  I  ought  ?  " 

"  She  would  not  have  asked  you  if  she  had  not 
meant  it" 

Bettina,  with  her  small  feet  on  the  fender,  con- 
sidered the  situation. 

"  You'll  have  to  come  and  see  me  there,  and  I'll 
miss  our  twilight  talks  by  the  fire,  with  Miss  Mat- 
thews away,  and  tea,  and  no  one  to  interrupt " 

•'  The  days  are  growing  longer.  Soon  there  will 
be  no  twilights  and  no  fire " 

"  And  you  want  me  to  go  ?  " 

His  nature  was  perfectly   honest,  and  he  meant 


GLORT  OF  TOUTH 

that  there  should  be  no  barriers  between  himself  and 
this  child- woman.  So  he  told  her  the  truth.  "  I 
don't  know.  But  you'll  be  very  gay.  There'll  be 
the  dances  at  the  yacht  clubs,  and  you'll  be  enter- 
tained on  the  boats,  and  you'll  meet  lots  of  people. 
Diana  knows  every  one,  and  her  money  and  posi- 
tion and  her  beauty  make  her  much  in  demand." 

"  Isn't  it  funny  she  has  never  married  ?  " 

"  Funny  " — sharply ;  "  no,  it's  not  funny.  It's 
tragic." 

"  Why  ?  " 

"  Because  such  women  as  Diana  should  marry. 
She  has  all  the  qualities  for  a  wife  and  mother — she 
is  wise  and  true  and  good,  and  there  aren't  many 
women  like  that  in  the  world " 

"  Oh,"  the  girl  drew  her  breath  quickly,  "  I'm  not 
like  that — I'm  little  and  childish,  and  I'm  not  wise." 

He  saw  what  he  had  done  and  tried  to  make 
amends. 

"  You  are — you,  Bettina." 

"  Well,"  Bettina  crossed  the  hearth-rug,  and  sat 
down  on  a  stool  at  his  feet,  "  she's  awfully  old,  isn't 
she?" 

"  My  dear,  she's  years  younger  than  I." 

"Oh,  you,"  she  laughed  and  laid  her  cheek 

52 


WHITE  LILACS 

against  his  hand.     "  Your  heart  is  just  my  age,  isn't 
it?" 

He  moved  restlessly,  then  stood  up,  with  Diana's 
note  still  in  his  hand. 

"  You'd  better  write  and  tell  her  you'll  come,"  he 
said.  "  I'll  take  you  over  to-morrow  in  my  car." 

She  surveyed  him  wistfully.  "  Oh,  must  you 
really  go  ?  " 

"  Yes.  There's  the  old  man  with  the  pneumonia, 
and  the  girl  with  appendicitis,  and  the  new  baby  at 
the  hospital — I  can't  neglect  them,  Bettina." 

"  When  we  are  married,"  she  asked,  tremulously, 
"  will  all  these  sick  people  keep  you  from  me " 

"A  doctor  belongs  to  his  patients,  my  dear " 

"  I  suppose  he  does,"  pensively,  "  but  I  shall  be 
terribly  jealous  of  your  old  men  with  the  pneumonia, 
and  your  girls  with  appendicitis.  I  shall  want  you." 

If  she  had  hoped  to  please  him  by  her  frank 
avowal  she  failed,  for  he  stood  looking  at  her  with  an 
expression  which  made  her  say  hastily,  "  Don't 
you  want  me  to  want  you  ?  " 

"  I  was  wondering  if  I  could  make  you  happy." 

She  gave  a  little  musical  note  of  protest.  "  I  am 
the  happiest  girl  in  the  world,  except — oh,  if  mother 
could  only  know. " 

53 


GLORT  OF  TOUTH 

With  a  quick  change  of  mood,  she  was  sobbing  in 
his  arms.  The  masses  of  her  hair  lay  soft  against  his 
lips,  one  slim  white  hand  crept  to  touch  his  cheek. 
He  imprisoned  the  small  hand  in  his.  "  We  must 
have  a  ring  for  this  soon,"  and  she  shifted  her  head 
so  that  she  could  look  up  at  him  from  under  wet 
lashes.  "  Oh,"  she  said,  "  shall  I  ?  " 

"  Of  course.     What  shall  it  be  ?  " 

"  Anything  but  pearls ;  they  mean  tears,  you 
know." 

With  a  quick  throb  of  the  heart,  he  remembered 
that  Diana  always  wore  pearls.  Was  there  some- 
thing after  all  in  the  old  superstition,  and  were  the 
rest  of  Diana's  days  to  be  dreary  because  she  had 
chosen  the  wrong  jewels  ? 

Diana,  Diana,  Diana,  would  his  mind  never  leave 
her? 

Then  as  if  his  thought  had  brought  her,  he  heard 
her  voice  upon  the  stairs. 

"  May  I  come  up  ?     I  rang,  but  no  one  answered." 

"  The  bell  is  broken."  He  hurried  out  into  the  hall, 
and  watched  her  ascend,  with  her  arms  full  of  white 
lilacs,  her  gray  eyes  shaded  by  a  white  veil  thrown 
back  from  a  broad  hat,  and  around  her  throat  the 
inevitable  string  of  pearls. 

54 


WHITE  LILACS 

"  I've  come  to  bring  some  of  my  flowers  to  your 
little  Betty  child,  and  to  get  her  answer  to  my  note." 

She  was  smiling  now,  smiling  at  him,  and  at 
Bettina,  who  had  come  forward  timidly. 

Diana  laid  the  lilacs  on  the  table,  and  drew  the 
girl  into  her  arms.  "  When  shall  it  be,  my  dear  ? 
It  seems  such  a  perfect  plan  to  me.  The  big  house 
isn't  finished.  You  can't  go  into  it  until  fall,  and  I 
can  help  you  get  things  ready.  What  do  you  think, 
Anthony?" 

"  I  don't  know.     I'll  leave  it  to  your  wisdom." 

"  Then  I  am  sure  it  will  be  best,"  she  responded 
cheerfully,  "and  now,  why  not  to-morrow?" 

"  I  haven't  anything  to  wear,"  Bettina  stated,  anx- 
iously. 

"  There's  a  sewing  woman  at  the  house,  and 
Sophie  and  I  have  brought  lots  of  things  from  Paris." 

"  Really  ?  And  will  you  tell  me  all  about  your 
trip?" 

"  Sophie  will  tell  you.  She's  the  talker.  I  like  to 
listen — Anthony  knows  that." 

If  she  had  meant  to  stab  him  by  reviving  old 
memories,  she  succeeded.  How  he  had  missed  the 
responsiveness  which  had  spurred  him  on  to  talk  his 
best  only  his  hurt  heart  knew.  It  had  been  her  be- 

55 


GLORT  OF  TOUTH 

lief  in  him,  which  had  supplemented  his  ability,  and 
had  brought  him  success,  and  he  knew  it  and  she 
knew  it,  and  now  Bettina  was  to  try  to  play  that  in- 
spiring part. 

Nothing  of  his  thought  showed,  however,  in  his 
impassive  countenance.  He  stood  up  and  held  out 
his  hand. 

"  My  old  man  with  the  pneumonia  is  waiting,"  he 
said,  "  and  you'll  want  to  visit  a  bit  with  Bettina." 

"  But  there's  one  thing,"  he  continued  hurriedly, 
"  that  I'd  like  to  speak  of  before  I  leave — to  have 
settled.  Do  you  think  it  will  be  wise  to  make  a 
public  announcement  of  our  engagement  ?  " 

"  Why  not  ?  "  sharply. 

Bettina  glanced  from  one  to  the  other,  conscious 
of  some  undercurrent  of  feeling  which  she  did  not 
share. 

"  It's  just  this  way,"  said  Anthony,  slowly ;  "  if 
Bettina  could  meet  your  friends  and  mine,  under 
your  auspices,  chaperoned  by  you,  they  would  dis- 
cover her  charms  and  loveliness,"  he  smiled  at  the 
girl,  "  and  they'd  then  welcome  her  with  open  arms. 
Now  she  knows  none  of  them ;  it  would  be  only  on 
your  account  that  she  would  be  received,  not  upon 
her  own,  and  I  think  she'd  like  the  other  bettei 

56 


WHITE  LILACS 

Diana.     What   do  you   think,  Bettina  ?  "   he  asked. 
"  It  is  for  you  to  say." 

Bettina,  who  was  making1  a  tiny  white  nosegay  of 
lilacs  to  pin  on  Anthony's  coat,  turned  to  them  a 
sparkling  countenance. 

"  Me — does  it  matter  ?  Does  anything  matter 
except  that  I  am  going  to  marry  you,  Anthony  ?  " 

She  held  out  her  hands  to  him,  laughing  over  her 
shoulder  at  Diana.  With  her  flower  face,  her  hair 
of  gold,  her  figure  slim  and  swaying  like  a  lily  on 
its  stem,  she  was  radiantly,  almost  impertinently 
young,  and,  with  a  sudden  sense  of  age  and  weari- 
ness, Diana  buried  her  face  in  the  lilacs  to  hide  a 
whiteness  which  matched  their  own. 

But  she  had  not  been  quick  enough  to  escape  the 
keen  eyes  of  Anthony. 

He  dropped  Bettina's  hands.  "  I'll  stop  to-morrow 
morning,  child,  on  my  way  to  the  sanatorium,  and 
take  you  over." 

"  And  dine  with  us  later,"  said  Diana.  "  I'm  going 
to  have  a  lot  of  people.  It  will  be  a  sort  of  im- 
promptu housewarming.  I've  telephoned  about  a 
dozen  old  friends." 

"  But  I  haven't  anything  to  wear."  Bettina  was 
again  in  a  panic, 

57 


GLORT  OF  TOUTH 

"You'll  have  about  twelve  hours  to  get  ready/' 
Diana  comforted ;  "  we  can  do  a  lot  in  that  time." 

But  her  mind  was  not  on  clothes,  for  she  followed 
the  doctor  out  into  the  hall  to  say,  "She's  jusv 
sweet,  Anthony " 

"  Don't,"  suddenly  all  the  calm  of  his  fine  face  was 
broken  up,  "  don't,  Diana " 

Then  Bettina  came  out  with  the  little  nosegay  of 
white  lilacs. 

"  You  were  going  away  without  it,"  she  said 
reproachfully  to  the  doctor,  who  was  half-way  down 
the  stairway. 

"  Throw  it  to  me  and  I'll  catch  it,"  he  called. 

But  she  ran  after  him  and  pinned  it  on  and  dropped 
a  hasty  kiss  in  the  midst  of  its  fragrance,  and  ran 
up  again,  blushing. 

And  Diana  watched  the  little  scene  from  the  top 
of  the  stairs  and  wondered  if  she  ha.d  overestimated 
her  own  power  to  endure. 

The  two  women,  standing  at  the  window  high  up 
in  the  hallway,  saw  the  doctor  depart,  then  Diana 
said,  suddenly,  "  Betty,  dear,  must  you  wear  black  ?  " 

The  girl's  lip  trembled. 

"  But— mother " 

"  I  know.  But,  dearie,  it  wouldn't  make  her  any 

58 


WHITE  LILACS 

happier  to  see  you  so  somber.  And  there's  white  for 
you,  and  all  the  pale,  pretty  tints,  and  you  wouldn't 
be  too  gay,  nor  sadden  others." 

"  But  your  friend,  Mrs.  Martens,"  said  Bettina, 
eagerly  ;  "  Anthony  pointed  her  out  to  me  this  after- 
noon— she  passed  here  on  her  way  to  the  post- 
office,  and  she  was  in  deep  mourning " 

"  Sophie's  life  is  all  behind  her ;  yours  is  ahead  of 
you." 

"  Wouldn't  it  seem  like — forgetting  ?  " 

"  You  can  never  forget  But  when  you  come  to 
me  there  will  be  young  people,  and  I  want  you  to 
share  their  life.  Shall  we  call  it  settled,  and  plan  a 
white  dress  for  to-morrow  night  ?  " 

Diana  had  a  fashion  of  calling  things  settled,  and 
of  bringing  others  to  her  point  of  view.  Bettina 
had  no  sense  of  injury,  but  only  boundless  confi- 
dence in  the  decisions  of  the  wonderful  woman 
creature  who  was  to  fill  her  life  with  gladness. 

"There  will  be  twelve  of  us  to-morrow  night," 
she  sketched  rapidly.  "Anthony  and  you  and 
Sophie  and  I  will  make  four,  then  there  will  be 
two  comfortable  married  couples,  and  Justin  Ford, 
who  is  flying  his  hydro-aeroplane  over  the  harbor, 
and  Bobbie  Tucker,  who  has  his  yacht  in  com' 

59 


GLORT  OF  YOUTH 

mission,  and  Sara  Duffield,  whom  you  won't  care 
tor,  because  she  is  a  bit  of  a  snob,  and  Doris  Sears, 
who  is  sweet  and  girlish  and  about  your  age. 

"  Sophie  and  I  have  picked  out  the  dress  you  are 
to  wear,"  she  continued.  "  I  think  you  are  just  about 
Sophie's  size,  and  there's  an  embroidered  white,  very 
sheer  and  fine,  with  a  round  low  neck  and  short 
sleeves,  and  a  girdle  of  amethyst,  and  silk  stockings 
and  satin  slippers  of  the  same  color.  I'm  not  sure 
whether  the  slippers  will  fit,  but  I  fancy  that  a  bit 
of  cotton  tucked  into  the  toes  would  make  them  all 
right 

"  And  I  want  you  to  wear  your  hair  like  I  saw  the 
girls  in  Paris — curled  over  your  ears  with  a  soft 
fringe — you'll  look  adorably  young,  Betty,  and  so 
dear  and  sweet." 

The  girl's  cheeks  were  brilliant  with  excitement 
"  Why,  it  doesn't  seem  true.  Two  days  ago  I  was 
like  Cinderella  sitting  in  the  ashes,  and  now  I'm 
a  fairy  princess,  and  you  are  the  fairy  god- 
mother." 

"  Am  I,  my  dear  ?  "  Diana  spoke  absently  ;  her 
eyes  were  on  a  wonderful  piece  of  lace,  which,  framed 
quaintly  against  a  background  of  velvet,  hung  above 
a  cabinet  in  the  corner. 

60 


WHITE  LILACS 

"  Where  did  you  get  that  collar,  Bettina  ? "  she 
asked. 

"  It  was  one  of  the  things  that  belonged  to  father's 
family,"  the  girl  explained.  "  You  know  he  was  an 
Italian,  a  Venetian — and  mother  would  never  let  me 
wear  the  collar  or  the  old  jewels.  There's  a  queer 
ring.  I'm  going  to  give  it  to  Anthony  for  a  wedding 
ring." 

She  spoke  the  last  words  with  a  charming  hesita- 
tion, then  went  to  the  little  cabinet  in  the  corner  and 
unlocked  a  drawer.  Within  was  a  carved  box  which 
when  opened  showed  a  massive  golden  circlet. 

"  Dad  wore  it,"  said  Bettina,  "  on  his  little  finger, 
but  his  hands  were  fat.  Anthony's  fingers  are  slim, 
and  he  can  fit  it  on  the  third  finger.  If  he  can't  get 
it  on  the  third  finger,  he  shan't  wear  it" 

Diana  stared  at  her  in  surprise.     "Why  not?" 

"  Because  it  would  remind  me  of  Dad,"  said  Bet- 
tina, "  and  I  hated  Dad." 

Here  was  a  new  phase  of  a  nature  which  Diana 
had  judged  gentle  and  yielding. 

"  But,  my  dear,"  she  protested,  "  surely  he  was 
your  father." 

"  He  broke  mother's  heart,"  said  Bettina,  obsti- 
nately ;  "  he  loved  so  many  times,  and  there's  only 

61 


GLORT  OF  TOUTH 

one  love  that  is  worth  while,  and  people  who  can  go 
from  one  person  to  another  aren't  worth  thinking 
about." 

It  was  the  judgment  of  a  child  ignorant  of  life,  but 
so  aptly  did  her  condemnation  fit  in  with  Sophie's 
words  of  the  night  before,  that  Diana  drew  a  sharp 
breath.  "  Perhaps  he  was  only  mistaken,"  she  said ; 
"  perhaps  he  didn't  understand  until  it  was  too  late 
what  he  had  lost." 

"  He  should  have  understood.  I  don't  want  to  be 
harsh — he  was  my  father,  and  I  wouldn't  talk  this 
way  to  every  one.  But  suppose  Anthony  treated  me 
the  way  my  father  treated  mother.  Suppose  he  told 
me  he  loved  me,  and  then — some  day,  I  found  that 
he  cared — for  some  one  else.  What  would  you 
think  of  him  then — what  would  you  think  of  An- 
thony?" 

As  she  brought  her  argument  to  a  triumphant 
close,  Diana  put  up  her  white-gloved  hands  as  if  to 
ward  off  a  blow,  then  she  said,  a  little  breathlessly, 
"  Don't  let  Anthony  wear  the  ring — not  yet " 

Bettina,  unconscious  of  the  emotion  she  had  roused, 
put  the  ring  back  in  the  box. 

"  I  don't  believe  I  shall,"  she  said,  thoughtfully ; 

M  there's  an  old  superstition  that  a  ring  worn  by  an 

62 


WHITE  LILACS 

inconstant  person  carries  inconstancy  with  it — and 
while  I  don't  believe  it — it  would  make  me  uncom- 
fortable." 

"  It  would — indeed,"  was  Diana's  fervent  connrma« 
tion. 

She  was  still  shivering  with  the  shock  of  the  girl- 
ish outburst. 

"  She  loves  him,"  she  said  to  herself  in  dismay. 
"  She  really  loves  him." 

She  rose  and  laid  her  hand  on  Bettina's  shoulder. 
"  Forget  to  be  unhappy  while  you  are  with  me, 
Betty,  dear.  You  are  going  to  be  very  gay — and, 

oh,  so  very,  very  young "  She  bent  and  kissed 

her.  "  And  now,  I  want  you  to  do  two  things  for 
me  ; — first,  you  must  call  me  Diana — and  second, 
you  must  believe  that  I  am  really  your  friend.  If  I 
ever  do  anything  to  make  you  doubt,  remember 
this,  that  in  my  heart  is  just  one  wish,  to  help  my 
old  friend  Anthony  to  happiness " 

The  girl  laughed  softly,  her  head  up,  her  eyes 
shining.  "  You  can't  make  him  much  happier  than 
he  is,"  she  said  ;  "  it  may  sound  awfully  conceited, 
but  I  think  he's  happy — because  he's  going  to  marry 
me— Diana," 


CHAPTER  V 

IN  WHICH   BETTINA   DANCES 

DIANA'S  house,  set  high  on  the  rocks,  hung 
over  the  harbor.  In  the  quaint  old  town, 
front  doors  became  back  doors,  kitchens  looked  out 
on  the  street,  and  the  windows  of  living-rooms  and 
dining-rooms  faced  the  sea.  But  there  were  two 
seasons  when  the  rocky  and  ignored  gardens  of  the 
town  were  ablaze  with  beauty — in  the  lilac  month  of 
the  spring,  and  in  the  dahlia  month  of  the  fall. 

It  was  at  the  time  of  lilac  bloom  that  Bettina  came 
to  make  her  wonderful  visit  to  Diana,  and,  after  an 
exciting  day  in  which  she  had  been  swept  from  the 
hands  of  the  dressmaker  to  the  hands  of  the  hair- 
dresser, thence  to  Sophie  for  inspection  and  to  Diana 
for  confirmation  of  the  completeness  of  her  attire,  she 
found  herself,  arrayed  in  all  her  glory,  alone  in  the 
wide  hallway. 

The  door  was  open  at  the  end  which  faced  the  town, 
and  the  fragrance  of  the  lilacs  poured  in.  The  soft 

wind  swayed  the  branches  of  the  bushes  so  that  they 

64 


IN  WHICH  BET  TIN  A  DANCES 

seemed  to  float  like  white  and  purple  clouds  against 
a  background  of  blue. 

On  the  step  sat  Peter  Pan,  and  as  Bettina  came 
toward  him  he  rose  to  meet  her  and  together  they 
went  down  the  path. 

It  was  there  in  the  old  garden  that  Justin  and 
Bobbie  came  upon  her.  They  were  in  the  white 
flannels  and  blue  coats  which  Diana's  informality  per- 
mitted. The  insignia  on  Bobbie's  cap  proclaimed 
him  a  yachtsman. 

Justin,  having  presented  Bobbie,  smiled  straight 
into  Bettina' s  eyes. 

"  To  think  of  finding  you  here,"  he  said. 

"  How  is  your  hand  ?  "  was  her  practical  question, 

"  Dr.  Anthony  cured  it.  I  was  able  to  fly  yester* 
day  over  the  harbor.  When  are  you  going  to  fly 
with  me?" 

"  Never."    Bettina  shivered  with  apprehension. 

"  Oh,  but  you'd  like  it,"  broke  in  Bobbie,  eagerly. 
"I've  been  up  with  him,  and  it's  like  floating  on  a 
sea  of  sunshine.  I  give  you  my  word  the  sensation 
is  delightful." 

Justin  said  no  more  on  the  subject  He  could 
wait,  but  some  day  he  was  going  to  fly  with  this 
little  golden  girl.  He  wondered  who  had  been  in- 

65 


GLORT  OF  YOUTH 

spired  to  dress  her  in  that  white  and  amethyst  com- 
bination. She  was  as  flower-like  as  the  lilacs  them- 
selves— she  belonged  to  them  ;  she  was  exquisite. 

He  walked  beside  her,  content  to  let  Bobbie  mon- 
opolize the  conversation,  which  was  unusuaJ,  for  Jus- 
tin liked  to  be  the  center  of  things.  He  had  always 
been  the  center  of  things,  and  he  was  not  diffident, 
as  a  rule,  in  his  approaches  toward  friendship. 

"  The  funny  thing  about  this  place,"  Bobbie  was 
saying,  "  is  that  you  have  to  pass  the  kitchen  door 
to  get  to  the  front  When  I  was  a  little  boy  Delia 
used  to  roll  out  cookies  on  that  table  by  the  window, 
and  I'd  sit  on  the  step  and  wait  for  them." 

"  Delia's  a  dear,"  said  Bettina.  "  I  fell  in  love 
with  her  the  minute  I  came.  And  I  fell  in  love  with 
Peter." 

Peter,  hearing  his  name,  jumped  down  from  the 
stone  wall,  where  he  had  been  watching  the  robins, 
and  again  joined  them. 

"  Peter  and  I  are  old  friends,"  said  Bobbie,  and 
stopped  to  pet  him. 

"  So  you  are  going  to  stay  with  Diana  ?  "  Justin 
asked. 

Bettina  nodded,     "  Yes.     Isn't  she  wonderful  ?  " 

•"  Wonderful.     It's  a  pity   we  aren't  a  monarchyt 

66 


IN  WHICH  BETTINA  DANCES 

so  that  Diana  could  rule  as  a  queen.  She's  that 
kind  of  woman.  A  man  instinctively  looks  up  to 
her." 

"  That's  what  Anthony  says." 

Marveling  somewhat  at  her  familiar  use  of  the 
name  of  the  distinguished  surgeon,  Justin  replied, 
"  Oh,  of  course,  Anthony  thinks  she's  perfect  He'll 
marry  her  some  day." 

Bettina's  startled  glance  questioned  him.  "What 
makes  you  say  that?  He  won't,  of  course,  but  what 
makes  you  say  it  ?  " 

"  Because  it  would  be  such  a  perfect  arrangement. 
They  are  so  well  matched." 

"  It  wouldn't  be  perfect  at  all.  People  who  are 
alike  never  ought  to  marry.  And,  anyhow,  they've 
never  thought  of  such  a  thing." 

"  How  do  you  know  ?  " 

"  Because  they  are  not  in  love.  Any  one  can  see 
that  who  sees  them  together.  They  are  just  good 
friends — and  friendship  is  a  very  different  thing  from 
love." 

Justin  stared  a.t  her  in  amazement  for  a  moment, 
then  he  threw  back  his  head  and  laughed.  "  Oh, 
wise  young  woman,"  he  said,  "  talk  to  me  some  more 

of  love " 

67 


GLORT  OF  TOUTH 

"  Who's  talking  of  love  ?  "  asked  Bobbief  coming 
up. 

"  Bobbie  doesn't  think  of  anything  else,"  said  Jus- 
tin; "  only  he's  never  sure  of  its  object.  Last  month 
it  was  Sara,  and  now  it  is  Doris  —  next  week  it  will 
be  -  " 

"  Next  week,"  said  Bobbie,  firmly,  "  it  will  be  Doris, 
—and  the  next  and  the  next  —  and  always  -  " 

They  were  on  the  porch  now  —  the  wide  porch  with 
its  rugs  and  low  wicker  chairs,  its  gay  striped  awn- 
ing and  its  bowls  of  white  and  purple  lilacs. 

Sophie  was  waiting  for  them,  and  Justin  greeted 
her  with  all  the  light  carelessness  gone  from  his 


"  Dear  lady,  it  is  good  to  see  you  again,  but  hard 
to  see  this,"  and  his  eyes  went  to  her  black  gown. 

Her  lips  were  tremulous.  "  I  know.  But  when  I 
meet  people  who  knew  him,  it  does  not  make  me 
sad  ;  it  makes  me  glad  because  all  of  his  friends  are 
my  good  friends." 

"  There  are  two  men  whom  I  always  place  side  by 
side  as  peers  ;  one  is  Anthony  Blake  and  the  other 
your  husband.  The  surgeon  and  the  scientist  -  " 

"  Yes,"   she  said,    "  and   they   never   met      But 

Diana  knew  him  —  and  loved  him." 

68 


IN  WHICH  BETTINA  DANCES 

"  And  she  loves — Anthony " 


Mrs.  Martens  gave  him  a  startled  look.  "  Hush,'T 
she  said.  "  Oh,  no,  you  mustn't  think  that" 

"  Perhaps  she  doesn't  realize,"  he  said,  slowly, 
11  but  the  world  can  see  it  with  half  an  eye.  And 
everybody  knows  Anthony's  devotion." 

He  stopped  short  as  Diana  appeared  in  the  door- 
way. She  wore  white  lace,  with  a  crescent  of  pearls 
set  just  above  the  parting  of  her  dark  hair. 

Justin  was  on  his  feet  in  a  moment  "  Diana, 
the  huntress,"  he  said.  "  You  shouldn't  appear  like 
that  suddenly  on  a  moonlight  night  unless  you  want 
to  be  worshiped  as  a  goddess "  ' 

Diana  laughed.  "  Please  don't  call  me  '  the 
huntress '  again.  It  has  a  sort  of  '  woman  still  pur- 
sued him '  sound." 

Justin,  with  Diana,  was  his  light  mocking  self. 
With  Bettina  he  had  been  self-conscious,  with  Sophie 
tenderly  sympathetic — but  Diana  played  up,  as  it 
were,  to  his  boyish  attitude  of  adoration. 

"  Are  we  all  here  but  Anthony  ?  "  she  asked,  with 
her  eyes  sweeping  the  length  of  the  porch  where  the 
guests  had  gathered.  "  He's  probably  looking  after 
somebody  with  appendicitis,  or  with  a  broken 

arm " 

69 


GLORT  OF  TOUTH 

"  No,  he  isn't"  Bettina  spoke  with  the  assur- 
ance of  direct  knowledge.  "  This  time  it  is  a  man's 
nose  ;  it  had  to  be  sewed  up." 

She  shivered  as  she  said  it,  and  her  audience 
roared. 

"  I'm  glad  it's  not  Bobbie's  nose,"  said  Justin ; 
"  it's  the  only  really  handsome  feature  he  possesses 
isn't  it,  Doris  ?  " 

The  blushing  Doris  murmured  inarticulately.  She 
thought  Bobbie  beautiful,  and  wondered  why  any 
one  should  designate  his  nose  so  explicitly. 

Diana  regretted  that  she  had  not  warned  Bettina 
against  such  assumption  of  intimacy  with  Anthony. 
If  people  were  not  to  know  of  the  engagement,  it 
was  not  well  — 

But  Anthony  had  come,  perfectly  groomed,  from 
the  tips  of  his  white  shoes  to  the  top  of  his  head,  and 
presently  he  was  bending  over  her  hand,  and  saying, 
pleasantly,  "It's  a  jolly  lot  of  us  you've  got  to- 
gether, Di.  Did  I  keep  you  waiting  ?  " 

"If  you  had,  it  wouldn't  be  me,  but  Delia,  to 
whom  you'd  have  to  apologize.  She's  the  real 
head  of  the  house,  you  know." 

Justin  took  Bettina  out,  Anthony  took  Sophie,  and 

one  of  the  married  men  Diana.     At  the  table  Bettina 

70 


IN  WHICH  BETTINA  DANCES 

sat  between  the  other  married  man  and  Justin,  much 
to  her  discomfort,  for  she  craved  the  seat  next  to  the 
doctor,  where  perchance  she  might  slip  her  fingers 
into  his  ;  he  seemed  so  far  away,  and  they  were  all 
strangers. 

But  no  one  could  be  shy  with  Justin.  "  Of  course 
we're  going  to  be  great  friends,"  he  said. 

Bettina  eyed  him  doubtfully. 

"Why?"  she  asked. 

Here  at  least  was  no  meek  surrender  to  his  charms, 
and  Justin  girded  himself  for  the  flirtation. 

"  Well,  I'm  Diana's  friend,"  he  ventured. 

"Yes?" 

"  Isn't  that  reason  enough  ?  " 

"  No." 

"Why  not?" 

"  I  like  to  choose  my  friends  for  myself." 

"  Won't  you  choose  me  ?  " 

She  smiled  up  at  him.  "  Of  course ;  don't  be 
silly.r> 

After  that  they  got  on  famously.  Justin  exerted 
himself  to  please,  and  Bettina,  with  shining  eyes, 
laughed  softly  in  response  to  his  clever  wit. 

Sara  Dumeld  watched  and  wondered.  Justin  had 
of  late  seemed  her  especial  property.  Yet  she  had 


GLORT  OF  TOUTH 

heard  him  offer  to  take  this  strange  young  woman 
in  his  aeroplane,  and  he  had  never  taken  Sara. 

"  Who  is  she  ?  "  Sara  asked  of  Bobbie,  who  was 
next  to  her. 

"  A  friend  of  Diana's.  She  has  been  looking  after 
her  sick  mother  for  a  year.  Then  Mrs.  Dolce  died, 
and  Diana  asked  the  girl  here.  She's  a  beauty, 
isn't  she  ?  " 

"Yes,"  said  Sara,  who,  in  certain  shimmering 
greens  and  blues,  looked  like  a  shining  little  pea- 
cock, an  effect  which  was  further  emphasized  by  a 
slender  feather  caught  by  an  emerald  which  she 
wore  in  her  black  hair.  "  Where  did  she  live  before 
she  came  to  Diana  ?  " 

"  In  the  top  of  the  Lane  mansion." 

"  The  Lane  mansion."  Sara's  tone  was  scornful. 
"  But  it's  an  awful  old  place " 

"  I  fancy  they  didn't  have  much  money.  But  she 
doesn't  need  it,  not  with  that  face." 

"  Doris  had  better  look  out,"  said  Sara,  unpleas- 
antly. 

"  Doris  ?  "  Bobbie's  round  young  face  grew  red. 
"  Doris  is  the  last  one,  Sara,  and  there  won't  be  any 
other.  You  and  Justin  can  just  let  that  subject 
alone." 

72 


IN  WHICH  BETTINA  DANCES 

Sara  shrugged  her  shoulders,  and  returned  to  her 
survey  of  Bettina.  "  I  wonder  where  she  got  that 
stunning  gown,  if  she's  so  poor.  It's  straight  from 
Paris." 

"Oh,  you  women,"  Bobbie  exploded,  and  rested 
his  eyes  on  Doris,  across  the  table,  and  the  thought 
of  her  gentleness  was  like  soothing  balm  in  contrast 
to  Sara's  sharpness. 

After  dinner  Diana  sang.  She  sat  at  the  piano, 
which  was  placed  just  within  the  door  of  the  un- 
lighted  music  room,  and  her  guests  grouped  them- 
selves on  the  porch  outside. 

She  gave  them,  first,  a  little  German  serenade, 
then  a  gay  bit  of  Paris  music-hall  frivolity,  and 
finally  her  fingers  strayed  into  the  accompaniment 
of  a  song  which  she  had  written  for  Anthony.  It 
was  called  "  The  Wind  From  the  Sea,"  and  it  had  a 
haunting  refrain. 


73 


GLORT  OF  YOUTH 

Diana's  thrilling  voice  rose  and  fell  with  the  beat 
ing  cadences.     She  had  sung  the  song  for  Anthony 
on  the  night  before  she  sailed  for  Berlin,  and  when 
she  had  finished  he   had   made   once  more  his  in- 
sistent plea,  and  she  had  said,  "  Wait" 

Bettina,  next  to  Anthony,  in  a  corner  of  the 
porch,  had  had  a  rapturous  moment  when  he  had 
murmured,  "  How  lovely  you  are  to-night,"  and  had 
laid  his  hand  over  hers  in  the  darkness. 

But  as  Diana  sang,  her  joy  was  suddenly  shadowed. 
Why  was  Diana  singing  things  that  seemed  to  drag 
the  heart  out  of  one,  and  why  had  Anthony  taken 
his  hand  away,  and  why  was  he  so  still  ? 

Even  as  she  questioned  the  search-light  from  the 
little  ferry  that  plied  between  the  Head  and  the  Neck 
sent  a  shaft  of  blinding  radiance  across  the  harbor. 
Bettina  caught  a  glimpse  of  her  lover's  face,  an(i  of 
the  longing  look  in  his  eyes  as  they  rested  on 
Diana. 

Why  did  Anthony  look  at  Diana  like  that  ? 

As  the  insistent  question  obsessed  her,  Bettina 
was  conscious  of  no  feeling  of  jealousy.  Her  faith 
in  Anthony  made  impossible  any  thought  that  his 
heart  was  not  wholly  hers.  She  merely  coveted  the 
look  in  his  eyes  as  they  rested  on  another  woman. 

74 


IN  WHICH  BET  TIN  A  DANCES 

"  Of  course  it's  just  the  way  she  sings,"  she  told 
herself,  restlessly.  "  Why,  it  almost  makes  me  cry." 

The  music  ceased  abruptly,  and  Diana  sat  very 
still  in  the  darkness. 

It  was  Sophie's  voice  which  broke  the  silence. 

"  Betty,  dear,  haven't  you  a  song  for  us?" 

"  No,"  came  the  response  from  the  far  corner. 
"  Dad  sang.  I  can  only  dance." 

"Really?"  Justin  was  on  his  feet  at  once.  "I! 
you'll  dance,  we  will  light  all  the  candles  in  the 
music  room." 

Bettina  came  forward.  "  It's  an  interpretive  dance. 
Can  you  play  the  '  Spring  Song,'  Diana  ?  " 

Sophie,  observing  anxiously,  wondered  what  fur- 
ther test  would  try  her  friend.  But  she  saw  no  sign 
of  an  emotion  which  had  to  do  with  a  night  when 
Diana  had  waited  in  the  moonlight  for  the  lover 
who  belonged  to  another  woman,  as  with  firm  iowdb 
she  played  the  first  chords  of  the  rippling  melody. 

And  Bettina  danced. 

Justin,  watching  her,  thought  of  lilacs  blown  by 
light  breezes,  of  clouds  on  a  May  morning,  of  the 
drift  of  white  petals  from  blossoming  trees.  Was 
she  a  woman  or  a  wraith,  this  slender  thing  swaying 
in  the  candle-light  ? 

75 


GLORT  OF  YOUTH 

Anthony  watched,  too,  leaning  back,  tired,  in  his 
chair. 

Diana  watched,  and  asked  herself,  "Can  any 
man  resist  such  youth  and  beauty  ?  " 

And  Sophie  watched,  and  said  to  herself,  out  of 
the  pity  of  her  great  and  loving  heart,  "  She  is  such 
a  child — and  things  are  going  to  be  hard  for  her." 

When  Bettina  finished,  she  went  straight  back  to 
Anthony.  "  Did  you  like  it  ?  "  she  demanded. 

But  his  answer  was  lost  in  the  applause  which 
forced  her  to  face  the  rest  of  them,  and  explain  : 

"  Dad  taught  me.  He  loved  beauty,  and  he  felt 
that  the  dance  was  beauty  in  motion." 

"  Sit  here  by  me,"  urged  Justin,  in  a  wheedling 
tone,  and  placed  a  chair  for  her. 

Bettina  yearned  wistfully  for  her  corner  and  An~ 
thony,  but  Sara  was  there  now,  and  her  light  hard 
laugh  floated  out  to  them. 

"  I  think  I'm  tired,"  said  Bettina,  as  she  dropped 
into  the  chair,  and  Justin,  the  much  sought  after 
Justin,  looked  at  her  with  chagrin. 

"  Are  you  tired  of  me  ?  "  he  asked  in  an  injured 
voice. 

She  shook  her  head.  "  No — but  it's  been  an  ex- 
citing day  " 

76 


IN  WHICH  BET  TIN  A  DANCES 

Somewhere  back  in  the  house  the  telephone  rang, 
and  presently  Delia  came  out  for  the  doctor. 
"  You're  wanted  at  the  Neck,  sir,"  she  said ;  "  it's  the 
old  gentleman  with  the  pneumonia." 

As  Anthony  went  to  answer  the  call,  the  other 
guests  said  their  farewells. 

Justin  reproached  Bettina.  "  You  haven't  been  a 
bit  good  to  me  ;  if  I  come  again  will  you  talk  to  me?" 

Bettina  smiled.     "  I'll  let  you  talk  to  me." 

"When?" 

She  turned  to  Sophie.  "  When  shall  I  let  him 
come  ?  " 

"  He'll  see  you  to-morrow  on  Bobbie's  boat,"  said 
Sophie ;  "  he  wants  us  for  lunch " 

"  Till  to-morrow,  then,"  said  Justin,  and  bent  over 
her  hand  ;  then  he  ran  down  the  porch  steps  to 
Sara,  who  was  waiting  with  her  head  held  high. 

When  Anthony  came  back  from  the  telephone 
Bettina  said,  mournfully,  "  Now  you  must  go,  and  I 
haven't  talked  to  you  for  a  single  minute." 

He  looked  down  into  the  wistful  face,  and  hesi- 
tated, then  he  asked,  "  Would  you  like  to  ride  with 
me  over  to  the  Neck  ?  It  won't  take  long,  but  you'd 
have  time  to  tell  me  all  about  your  beautiful  day." 

She  was  radiant  at  once. 

77 


GLORT  OF  TOUTH 

"  Of  course  I  can  go." 

"  Take  my  cloak,"  said  Sophie ;  "  the  long  black 
one  ;  it's  warmer,  and  the  air  is  cool.'' 

Diana,  returning  from  a  conference  with  Delia, 
asked,  "  Where's  Betty?  " 

t(  Gone  for  a  little  ride  with  Anthony." 

"  But,  Sophie,  what  will  people  say — at  this 
hour?" 

"  I  ":old  her  to  wear  my  black  cloak,"  said  Sophie ; 
"  it's  less  conspicuous,  and  she  was  so  eager." 

Diana  stood  very  still  in  the  darkness.  How  she 
coveted  the  intimacy  of  the  little  car !  She  had  rid- 
den so  often  with  Anthony,  and  he  never  talked  so 
well  as  when  driving ;  he  never  revealed  so  fully  the 
depth  and  fineness  of  his  great  nature.  Would  he 
reveal  himself  to  Bettina?  Would  he?  And  was 
she  shut  out  from  his  life  forever  ? 

She  went  up-stairs  slowly.  "  You  wait  for  them, 
Sophie,"  she  said.  "I'm  tired — it's  been  a  hard 
day " 

"  Poor  dear."  Sophie  stood  looking  up  at  her  from 
the  foot  of  the  stairs.  "  I'll  come  up  and  rub  your 
head  presently." 

"  It  isn't  my  head,"  Diana  answered  over  her 
shoulder. 


IN  WHICH  BETTINA  DANCES 

"  Poor  dear,"  said  Sophie  again,  softly,  and  saw 
with  anxious  eyes  the  droop  of  the  ascending  figure 
in  the  white  gown. 

An  hour  later  Bettina  came. 

"  We  rode  across  the  causeway,  and  down  the 
shore  drive.  It  was  beautiful  and  Anthony  is  going 
to  take  me  again.  It's  been  such  a  lovely,  lovely 
day,  Mrs.  Martens." 

All  the  doubts  of  the  early  evening  had  been 
swept  away,  and  Bettina  was  triumphantly  happy. 

When  they  reached  the  second  floor,  she  stopped 
outside  of  Diana's  room. 

"Good-night,  dear  lady,"  she  called  softly,  with 
her  lips  against  the  door. 

"  Good-night,"  came  faintly,  then  after  a  moment^ 
"  dear  child." 

But  Diana  did  not  open  the  door. 


CHAPTER  VI 

"FOR    EVERY  MAN  THERE  IS  JUST  ONE  WOMAN" 

WHEN  Sophie,  having   donned  a  smoke-gray 
kimono  and  brushed  her  shining  hair,  went 

down  to  Diana,  she  expected  to  find  her  pensive. 

She  found  her,  instead,  with  various  little  white  jars 

and  silver   bottles  set  before  her  on  her  dressing 

table. 

"  When  a  woman  takes  to  cold  cream,  Sophie," 

she  remarked,  as  her  friend  came  in,  "  it's  a  deadly 

sign.     It    shows    that    she    has    found    her   first 

wrinkle." 

44  Diana,  how  can  you  !     You  know  that  you  are 

beautiful  without  such  aids." 

44  When  I  was  in  Paris,"  Diana  continued,  "  I  was 

persuaded  into  buying  these.     I  was  told  that  they 

held  the  secret  of  perpetual  youth." 

4<  Perpetual  youth  is  from  the  heart,  Diana." 

44  Then  my  heart  is  as  old  as  the  ages." 

Diana  was  gazing  into  the  mirror,  which  reflected 

her  tired  face. 

So 


"JUST  ONE  WOMAN' 

"  I  can't  think  of  anything  but  that  child,  dancing 
in  the  candle-light  Oh,  youth,  youth,  Sophie ;  is 
there  anything  like  it  in  the  whole  wide  world  I " 

"  Diana,"  Sophie's  voice  was  sharpened  by  her 
solicitude,  "  come  away  from  that  mirror." 

Diana  obediently  turned  her  back  on  her  dressing 
table,  and  presently  she  said,  "  I  wonder  if  it  was 
wise  to  have  her  here  ?  " 

"  Bettina  ?  " 

"  Yes." 

Sophie  was  thoughtful.  "  I'm  not  sure.  Yet  it 
seemed  to  me  to-night  that  perhaps — you  had  been 
wise " 

"  What  made  you  think  that  ?  " 

"  Anthony's  face  when  you  played,  Diana." 

"  Oh  !  "  Diana  crossed  the  room  and  dropped 
down  on  the  rug  at  her  friend's  feet  "  Tell  me 
how  he  looked,"  she  said,  softly,  with  her  arm  out- 
flung  across  the  other's  knees. 

"  It  was  just  in  a  flash  that  I  saw  his  face — under 
the  search-light  from  the  ferry.  It  was  the  face  of  a 
man  who  had  lost  the  one  woman  in  the  world  for 
him,  Diana." 

"If  I  could  believe  that,"  said  Diana,  tensely 
"  nothing  else  would  matter." 

ll 


GLORT  OF  TOUTH 

-  Yet,  believing  it,  how  can  it  be  right  for  him  to 
marry  some  one  else  ?  " 

Diana,  with  her  chin  propped  between  her  hands, 
stared  with  wide  eyes  into  space.  "  It  isn't  right — 
but  she  loves  him,  Sophie." 

"  Yet  she's  not  the  one  woman— oh,  what  a  mud- 
dle, Diana." 

"  What  a  muddle,"  and  for  a  time  they  sat  in  si- 
lence. 

Then  Sophie  said,  "  Perhaps  it's  because  I  was 
so  happy  in  my  marriage — that  I  can  see  so  clearly. 
I've  worked  it  out  this  way,  dearest,  dear — that  in  all 
the  world  there's  just  one  woman  for  one  man.  If 
he  meets  and  marries  her,  no  matter  how  hard  their 
life  may  be,  they  will  be  drawn  together,  not 
separated,  by  the  hardness ;  no  matter  how  the 
world  may  use  them,  they  will  cling  together  against 
the  world.  But  when  a  man  marries  the  wrong 
woman,  he  goes  through  life  a  half-man,  crippled  in 
mind  and  spirit,  because  of  his  mistake.  Sometimes 
the  man  finds  the  one  woman  in  a  second  marriage  ; 
sometimes  he  finds  her  too  late ;  sometimes  he  is  too 
blind  to  know  that  she  is  the  one  woman,  and  he  lets 
hex  go,  to  discover  afterward  that  no  other  can  fill 

his  life.    That's  the  pity  of  it.     If  Anthony  marries 

82 


GLORT  OF  TOUTH 

Delia,  I'm  just  dying  for  some  of  your  good  New 
England  cooking  ! ' ] 

"  Maybe  she's  in  love,"  said  little  Jane,  who  was 
romantic. 

Delia  turned  her  omelette  deftly.  "  Of  course  she 
is.  Everybody  knows  she  just  about  worships  Dr. 
Blake,  only  she  won't  marry  him  till  she  gets  good 
and  ready.  That's  the  house  he's  building  for  her 
— up  the  road,  with  the  red-tiled  roof  and  the  wide 
stone  porches.  He  had  the  window  of  her  room 
toward  Minot's,  so  that  the  light  could  say,  '  I  love 
you '  to  her  at  night" 

"  She'd  better  look  out,"  stated  little  Jane,  with 
provincial  frankness ;  "  if  she  waits  too  long  he'll  be 
finding  some  one  else  to  say  '  I  love  you '  to." 

"  You  keep  your  mind  on  that  toast,"  Delia  was 
dishing  up  the  omelette,  "  and  don't  you  forget  that 
Miss  Diana  isn't  the  kind  that  a  man  goes  back  on. 
She  could  have  had  a  dozen  richer  men  than  the 
doctor.  But  she  didn't  want  them,  and  maybe  she 
doesn't  want  him,  but  don't  you  get  it  into  your  head 
that  he  wants  anybody  else." 

Little  Jane  sniffed.  "  You  can't  tell  about  men,'' 
she  said,  as  she  went  out  of  the  door  with  Bettina's 
tray. 


"JUST  ONE  WOMAN" 

Bettina,  sitting  up  in  bed,  welcomed  little  Jane 
with  enthusiasm.  She  ate  everything  from  straw- 
berries to  omelette  with  a  hearty  appetite,  then  she 
lay  comfortably,  looking  out  toward  the  eastern 
horizon  where  the  smoky  streak  of  a  steamer  showed 
faintly. 

Presently  Sophie  came  in  with  a  gown  of  white 
serge — of  simple  lines,  with  wide  collar  and  cuffs  of 
sheer  embroidered  muslin.  "  Diana  insisted  that 
I  should  get  some  white  things  in  Paris,"  she  said, 
as  she  laid  it  over  a  chair.  "  She  hoped  that  I  might 
be  induced  to  dress  in  something  besides  black,  but 
I  can't,  and  so  I  am  sure  that  you  will  be  willing  to 
wear  these  out  for  me,  my  dear." 

Bettina  put  one  bare  foot  on  the  floor,  then  the 
other,  then  she  fluttered  across  the  room  like  a  white 
butterfly  and  embraced  Mrs.  Martens. 

"  It's  lovely,  only  it  doesn't  seem  quite  right  for 
me  to  take  everything." 

"It  is  right.  They  would  lie  in  my  trunks 
until  they  were  out  of  fashion.  There's  a  white 
felt  hat  that  goes  with  this,  and  a  long  white 
coat,  and  Diana  is  going  to  take  you  over  to  town 
this  morning  to  get  white  shoes  and  gloves  and  a 
veil  : 

85 


GLORT  OF  TOUTH 

"  How  old  is  he  ?  " 

"Twenty-six.  I  didn't  realize  until  I  reached  here 
that  he  was  flying  again.  He  does  such  dangerous 
things.  I  saw  the  aeroplane  yesterday  morning,  and 
found  out  afterward  that  he  was  up — and  since  then 
my  heart  seems  to  stop  every  time  I  think  of  him  in 
the  air " 

With  all  the  optimism  of  youth,  Bettina  tried  to 
reassure  her. 

"  He  said  last  night  that  he  was  very  careful.  He 
wants  to  take  me  up." 

"  Oh,  don't  ever  do  anything  so  dreadful." 

"I  couldn't  if  I  wanted  to.  Anthony  made  me 
promise  last  night  that  I  wouldn't " 

She  said  it  with  a  comfortable  sense  of  her  lover's 
care  for  her ;  "  I'd  rather  ride  any  day  with  Anthony 
in  his  little  car." 

"  My  dear,"  Sophie  said  with  some  hesitation,  "  I'm 
going  to  suggest  that  except  to  Diana  and  myself, 
you  try  not  to  seem  too  much  interested  in — your 
doctor — the  world  might  suspect — and  you  don't 
want  to  announce  your  engagement  yet,  Diana  tells 
me " 

Bettina  shrugged  her  white  shoulders.  "  I  don't 
care  if  everybody  knows,"  she  said ;  "  but  Diana 

88 


"JUST  ONE  WOMAN' 

thought  that  Anthony's  friends  might  like  to  get  ac- 
quainted with  me  first.  But  if  you  could  know  what 
he's  been  to  me,  Mrs.  Martens — why,  when  I  waked 
this  morning  it  seemed  like  a  dream  to  think  that  I 
wasn't  in  the  top  floor  of  the  old  Lane  house,  with 
Miss  Matthews  making  her  breakfast  coffee  over  an 
alcohol  stove,  and  a  little  impatient  because  I  hadn't 
the  toast  ready,  and  with  the  prospect  ahead  of  me 
of  another  lonely  day,  when  I  should  try  to  read  and 
try  not  to  think,  and  miss  mother  until  I  nearly  died. 

"  Do  you  wonder  that  I  love  him  ?  "  She  came  up 
to  Mrs.  Martens  and  put  her  hands  on  her  shoulders. 
"  He's  so  wonderful  and  good — and  he  loves  me " 

Sophie  could  not  meet  the  frank  young  eyes. 
"  It's  nice  that  you  feel  that  way,"  she  said,  "  and  I 
hope  you  don't  mind  what  I  said — it  was  only  that  it 
might  save  you  some  future — embarrassment." 

"  I'll  be  careful,"  said  Bettina,  "  only  I'm  perfectly 
sure  that  everybody  will  know  every  time  I  look  at 
Anthony  that  he's  the  one  man  in  the  world  for  me. 
You  can't  imagine  how  uninteresting  other  men  seem 
beside  him—and  then  his  manner,  isn't  it  lovely  and 
protecting  and — sure  ?  " 

Sophie  had  a  sudden  sense  of  the  comedy  which 
was  intermingled  with  the  tragic  of  the  situation. 


GLORY  OF  TOUTH 

fortable,  and  have  pretty  clothes,  and — every- 
thing." 

"  Of  course  you  do,"  said  Justin,  responding  to 
her  mood,  lightly,  "  but  you  don't  want  to  get  Dr. 
Blake  after  you — he  preaches  a  gospel  of  endeavor." 

"  Oh  1 "  There  was  a  note  of  dismay  in  Bettina's 
voice.  "  But  not  all  of  us  can  be  bees.  Some  of  us 
must  be  the  butterflies." 

Justin  spoke,  somewhat  seriously  :  "  I've  been  a 
butterfly  for  three  years,  and  I  give  you  my  word 
I'm  not  getting  much  out  of  it.  Seeing  Mrs.  Martens 
has  brought  back  the  days  when  I  worked  over  there 
in  Germany  to  get  the  money  to  finish  my  studies. 
Has  she  told  you  how  I  used  to  go  to  her  and  drink 
her  delicious  coffee  and  eat  thick  bread  and  butter, 
and  bask  in  her  sympathy  until  I  got  the  courage  to 
go  on  again  ?  Yet  I  felt  all  the  time  that  I  was  get- 
ting somewhere,  and  here  I'm  stagnating " 

Bettina  settled  herself  back  comfortably  in  her 
cushioned  seat  "  Well,  I  don't  think  if  s  anything 
to  worry  about.  It  seems  perfectly  wonderful  to  me 
not  to  have  anything  to  do — if  I  had  mother  back," 
her  voice  trembled,  "I  wouldn't  care  how  much  I 
had  to  work  for  her — but  after  she — left  me,  every- 
thing seemed  so — so  sordid,  and  hard — and 

92 


"JUST  ONE  WOMAN" 

Oh,  I  hated  it — and  then "  She  drew  herself  up 

sharply. 

"  Then ?  "  Justin  prompted  her 

"  Diana  came,"  she  went  on,  after  a  moment's 
hesitation,  "  and  now  everything  will  be  different." 

Justin  had  a  baffled  sense  of  some  mystery  from 
the  solution  of  which  he  was  shut  out,  but  he  merely 
said,  heartily,  "  I  hope  you'll  stay  forever,"  and  felt 
his  heart  leap  as  the  ends  of  her  white  veil  fluttered 
against  his  lips. 


GLORT  OF  TOUTH 

get  nervous,  you  know,  and  all  that;  you  really 
mustn't  stay — you  weren't  made  to  have  your  mind 
on  such  things." 

"  But  Diana's  mind  is  on  them." 

"  Diana  is — different." 

That  Diana  was  different  was  being  demonstrated 
at  that  very  moment  in  an  upper  room,  where  a  lit- 
tle white  slip  of  a  girl  had  welcomed  her  with  a 
wailing  cry — "  I'm  afraid." 

"  My  dear,"  Diana  bent  over  the  bed,  "  there's 
nothing  to  be  afraid  of,  not  with  your  doctor." 

"  But— if  I  should  die." 

"  You're  not  going  to  die." 

"  But  how  do  you  know  ?  " 

"  Because  your  good  doctor  has  said  so — and  he 
knows " 

"  But  sometimes  people  do — die." 

Diana  signed  to  the  nurse  to  go  out,  and  then  she 
knelt  by  the  bed. 

"  Dear  child,"  she  said,  softly,  "  life  is  such  a  short 
journey  for  all  of  us,  and  beyond  is  a  wonder  land. 
When  I  was  a  little  girl  I  used  to  wish  that  I  might 
die,  and  I  thought  that  my  lonely  little  soul  might 
sail  and  sail  in  a  silver  boat  until  I  came  to  the 
shores  of  that  far  country  where  I  should  find  my 

96 


HARBOR  LIGHT 

father  and  mother  waiting.  I  was  such  a  dreary  lit- 
tle orphan,  and  I  wanted  love.  And  I  knew  that  in 
that  country  Love  waited  for  me — as  it  is  waiting  for 
you.  Would  it  be  so  hard  to  go  after  all  the  pain, 
if  Love  willed  it  so  ?  " 

"  I  hadn't  thought  of  it  that  way." 

"  Then  think  of  it  now.  But  most  of  all  think  of 
life,  and  of  what  it  will  mean  to  you  when  wise  Dr. 
Blake  has  made  you  well.  And  think  of  this,  too,  that 
when  you  wake  up  from  your  long  sleep  there  will  be 
a  bunch  of  white  lilacs  right  here  on  this  little  table — 
to  welcome  you  back  to  the  world — will  you  promise 
to  think  of  the  white  lilacs  until  you  go  to  sleep  ?  " 

She  was  talking  against  time,  trying  to  get  the 
tense  look  out  of  the  girl's  eyes.  And  now  she  was 
rewarded  by  the  lowered  lids  and  the  relaxing  of  the 
little  figure  in  her  arms. 

"  I  am  going  to  think  of  the  lilacs,"  the  girl  whis- 
pered. "  Are  you  very  sure  they  will  be  there  ?  " 

"  Very  sure,  dear." 

"Then  I'm  ready " 

Diana,  going  out,  met  Anthony. 
"  She's  all  right,"  she  said.     "  I'm  glad  you  had 
me  come. 

oy 


HARBOR  LIGHT 

which  was  the  picturesque  name  Anthony  had 
given  his  house  because,  as  he  explained,  it  was 
to  be  a  beacon  to  such  derelicts  as  drifted  there. 
There  were  men  and  women  of  wealth  who  came  to 
be  fortified  for  another  season  of  excitement,  and 
there  were  men  and  women  to  whom  the  doctor 
gave  lodging  and  his  skill  without  financial  recom- 
pense. But  no  one  knew  to  whom  such  charity 
was  extended,  and  all  were  equal  in  care  and  treat 
ment. 

Most  of  the  nurses,  too,  had  been  there  long 
enough  to  know  the  inspiration  and  uplift  which 
was  brought  by  the  gracious  lady  in  the  white  gpwn. 

When  the  patients  asked,  "Who  is  she?"  the 
reply  was  whispered,  "  Diana  Gregory.  Every- 
body hopes  she'll  marry  the  doctor.  He's  dead  in 
love  with  her." 

At  last  Diana  slipped  away,  promising  to  come 
again  soon  to  look  at  the  weaving,  to  see  the  new 
pottery  — 

"  But  not  now,"  she  insisted,  brightly  ;  "  there's 
some  one  waiting  for  me  down-stairs." 

She  found  Bettina  still  sitting  stiffly  on  the  edge  of 
the  chair.  She  had  sent  Justin  back  to  Sophie,  and 
3,  nurse  had  taken  away  the  lilacs.  All  the  glory 

99 


GLORT  OF  TOUTH 

had  gone  out  of  her  morning  when  Anthony  had 
asked  for  Diana. 

"  Why  didn't  he  want  me  ?  "  she  demanded,  when 
Diana  came  toward  her  with  an  eager  apology. 
"  Why  didn't  Anthony  want  me  ?  " 

"My  dear,  he  always  wants  you,  but  there's  an 
operation  on  now." 

"  On  that  girl  with  appendicitis  ?  " 

"Yes." 

"Oh,  how  can  he  do  it,  Diana?  I  think  it's 
dreadful — to — to  hurt  people " 

"  He  doesn't  hurt  them,  dear." 

"  But  it's  horrid.     I— I  hate  it" 

"  Betty  1 " 

"I— I  shan't  ever  let  him  talk  about  it  to  me." 
The  child's  breath  was  coming  quickly.  "  Never- 
never — never,  when  we  are  married — and  I'm  going 
to  make  him  give  it  up " 

"Give  it  up?"  Diana's  voice  rang  clear  and 
sharp.  "  Give  what  up  ?  " 

"  His  surgery.  I  didn't  mind  the  other— when  he 
came  to  mother  and  gave  her  medicine  in  bottles — 

but   this  is    different,   and   the   women    here 

Why,  Diana,  some  of  them  looked  in  at  the  door, 
and  they  were — freaks." 

100 


HARBOR  LIGHT 

"  They're  sick,  dear." 

"  I  don't  like  sick  things.  I  loved  mother,  and  I 
could  stand  it,  but  Anthony  mustn't  let  me  see 
such  people — not  now,  so  soon  after ! " 

"  Hush,  Betty  1  Oh,  you  shouldn't  have  come 
in.  We'll  go  now  and  have  a  long  ride  with  Justin, 
and  to-night  you'll  see  Anthony — and  some  day 
you'll  realize  what  a  great  man  he  is." 

"  I  know  he's  a  great  surgeon,  and,  of  course,  I'll 
have  to  put  up  with  it — but  I  shall  hate  it  just  the 
same,  Diana." 

Put  up  with  it — oh,  Diana !  For  years  she  had 
urged  him  toward  this  end,  that  he  might  stand  at 
the  head  of  that  profession  which  combats  death 
with  a  flaming  sword.  For  years  she  had  watched 
him  struggle  upward,  and  had  gloried,  not  only  in 
his  fame,  but  in  his  power  of  healing. 

Together  the  two  women  went  down  the  path. 

"Are  you  tired  of  waiting?"  Diana  asked  as 
they  came  up  to  the  car. 

"Justin  took  me  for  a  little  ride,"  said  Sophie, 
"and  I  sat  in  front  with  him.  We  tried  to  get 
Bettina  to  go,  but  she  wouldn't.  She  thought  she 
ought  to  wait  for  you." 

^  "  I  wish  I  hadn't  waited,"  said  Bettina,  as  Justin 

101 


GLORT  OF  TOUTH 

helped  her  in.     "  I — I   don  t  like  sick  people,  and  I 
hate  that  queer  smell " 

"  Ether,"  said  Justin,  promptly ;  "  it's  because  of 
the  operation." 

He  leaned  forward,  and  the  car  shot  out  toward 
the  causeway.  The  way  led  first  through  a  street 
overarched  with  elms  ;  beyond  the  elms  there  was  a 
vista  of  sea  and  sky.  A  fragrant  wind  blew  from  the 
blossoming  trees,  and  swept  Bettina's  veil  away  from 
her  face  so  that  it  billowed  above  her  hat  like  the 
wings  of  some  great  bird. 

The  hospital  was  behind ;  ahead  was  the  long 
white  road.  Justin  was  smiling  down  into  her  eyes. 
For  the  first  time  she  noticed  his  look  of  joyous 
youth. 

"  I  begin  to  understand  why  it  is  that  you  fly,"  she 
said,  as  they  came  out  upon  the  causeway  and  saw 
the  stretch  of  harbor  beyond. 

"Why?" 

"Because  you  feel  that  you  must  get  up  high 
enough  to  flap  your  wings." 

"  I  could  do  that  on  a  barn-yard  fence,  couldn't  I-* 
like  Chantecler,  and  make  the  sun  rise  ?  " 

"  You  could  never  get  up  early  enough." 

M I  flew  past  your  window  at  six." 
102 


HARBOR  LIGHT 

*'  How  did  you  know  it  was  ray  window?" 

Justin  glanced  down  at  her.  Her  soft  white  hat 
was  pulled  low,  so  that  it  almost  hid  her  eyes,  but 
through  the  veil  he  could  see  that  they  were  softly 
shining,  Her  lips  were  red,  and  her  cheeks  touched 
by  the  wind  with  vivid  color, 

"I  knew — because  my  heart  told  me,"  he  said, 
ardently. 

But  she  did  not  blush.  "  You  knew  it  because 
you  know  which  is  Diana's  guest  room,"  she  stated, 

"  Were  you  awake  ?  " 

"  No.     I  am  never  awake  at  six — I  love  to  be  lazy." 

"  Don't  tell  that  to  Dr,  Anthony  or  he'll  set  you 
to  weaving.  You  know  what  I  told  you ;  he  said 
that  idleness  leads  to  weakness  or  wickedness '' 

"I  haven't  had  time  to  see  what  it  leads  to," 
Bettina  informed  him.  "  I've  always  been  so  busy. 
I'm  going  to  play  for  a  while." 

"  Will  you  play  with  me  ?  "  Justin  challenged  her. 

Shining  eyes  met  shining  eyes — youth  responded 
to  youth. 

"It  will  be  glorious,"  said  Bettina,  meeting  his 
mood. 

They  laughed  together,  the  care-free  laughter  of 
their  golden  age.  Diana,  catching  the  echo  of  it 


GLORT  OF  YOUTH 

waked  from  a  reverie  which  had  to  do  with  Anthony 
back  there  in  a  big,  bare  room,  contending  with  skil- 
ful and  steady  hands  against  the  evil  forces  which 
sought  to  destroy ;  saving  a  life,  giving  to  a  little 
unknown  girl  a  future  of  hope  and  of  health. 

Every  breath  that  she  had  drawn  since  she  had  left 
him  had  been  a  prayer  that  his  hand  might  not  fail, 
that  his  nerves  might  be  like  steel — she  felt  as  if  her 
heart  were  beating  with  his  to  uphold  him,  as  if  she 
could  bear  him  on  the  wings  of  love  and  be  his  talis- 
man against  harm. 

Yet  in  front  of  her  was  the  girl  he  was  to  marryt 
laughing  lightly  up  into  the  eyes  of  a  boy,  uncon- 
scious of  her  lover's  need,  unconscious  of  everyl  hing 
except  that  she  was  young  and  free  from  care-'  and 
that  the  morning  world  was  beautiful  1 


CHAPTER  VIII 

THE    EMPTY  HOUSE 

WHEN  the  doctor  came  that  night  he  was  tired. 
The  day  had  been  a  hard  one,  and  he  felt 
weighed  down  by  the  woes  of  those  weak  folk  who 
bore  so  heavily  on  his  strength* 

He  found  Bettina  alone.  Diana  and  Sophie  had 
gone  to  play  bridge  across  the  harbor,  and  only 
Delia  in  the  garden  and  Peter  Pan  on  the  porch  re- 
mained for  chaperonage. 

Bettina  greeted  her  betrothed  soberly,  and  held  up 
her  face  to  be  kissed.  "  I  said  things  about  you 
yesterday,"  she  confessed,  as  she  and  Anthony  set- 
tled themselves  on  the  porch  where  they  could 
look  out  upon  the  lights.  "  I  said  things  about  you 
to  Diana,  and  afterward  we  went  to  the  Pirate  House 
with  Justin  Ford  for  lunch,  and  I  flirted  with  him " 

"  What  did  you  say  about  me  ? " 

"  That  I  hated  your  surgery — that  it  seemed  dread- 
ful" 

He  had  been  smiling,  but  he  grew  grave  at  once 


GLORT  OF  TOUTH 

"  You  can't  separate  me  from  my  work,  child ; 
you  must  take  us  together." 

"  Of  course  ;  I  know  that  now.  Diana  was  talk- 
*ng  to  me  after  we  came  home  from  our  ride.  She 
told  me  some  of  the  wonderful  things  you  had  done, 
and  of  how  people  almost  said  their  prayers  to  you." 

"  Not  quite  that — but  it's  my  reward  that  so  many 
of  my  patients  are  my  friends  because  I  have  helped 
them." 

"  And  Diana  said  that  if  I  loved  you  I'd  be  glad — 
to  let  you — cut  people  up." 

In  spite  of  himself  he  laughed.    She  was  irresistible. 

"  I  shan't  exact  that  of  you.  But  at  least  you  must 
not  worry." 

"  And  I  won't  have  to  live  there?  "  anxiously. 

"Where?" 

"  At  the  sanatorium  ?  " 

"  Of  course  not.     You'll  live  over  there." 

He  pointed  to  a  jutting  rock  on  the  top  of  which  a 
big  house  loomed  white  in  the  moonlight 

"There?  Oh,  I'd  love  to  go  over  it  CouWt 
we,  now?" 

He  hesitated,  "  Perhaps  it  would  be  better  to 
wait  till  there  are  others."  Then,  seeing  her  disap- 
pointment, he  agreed.  "  Well,  if  Delia  will  come  too." 

106 


"Delia?" 

"  To  open  the  rooms."  He  had  not  the  heart  to 
tell  her  how  sharp  were  the  tongues  of  the  gossips  of 
the  little  town. 

So  Delia,  a  little  later,  limped  after  them  with 
Peter  following,  confidently. 

"  And  you  flirted  with  Justin,"  Anthony  remarked 
on  the  way  over. 

"  Yes.  In  the  little  tea  room.  Diana  and  Mrs. 
Martens  sat  at  one  table,  and  Mr.  Ford  and  I  at  the 

other — and  he  was  so  funny — and  I Well,  any 

one  looking  on  might  have  thought  I  was  in  earnest." 

"  What  did  Diana  think  ?  " 

"  Oh,  she  knows  how  I  feel  about  you " 

"  And  Justin,  does  he  know  ?  " 

"  Of  course  not     It's  not  announced,  you  know." 

"  But  if  he  should  take  you  in  earnest." 

"  Silly,"  Bettina  tucked  her  hand  in  his  arm,  "  no- 
body takes  me  in  earnest — but  you " 

Her  hesitation  was  charming,  but  he  did  not 
respond  ardently,  and  perhaps  she  missed  some- 
thing in  his  manner,  for  presently  she  asked,  "  Are 
you  jealous  ?  " 

"  My  dear,  no.     Children  must  play  — —  " 

She  sighed  a  little,     "Am  I  such  a  child  ?*" 

107 


GLORT  OF  TOUTH 

He  laughed  again.  "  Of  course,  you're  a  mere 
baby — but  a  dear  baby,  Betty  mine." 

And  with  that  she  was  content. 

The  big  house  was  not  furnished. 

"  i  am  going  to  put  in  the  things  which  were  in 
ihe  old  house  before  I  turned  it  into  a  sanatorium. 
My  grandfather  was  a  sea  captain,  and  I  have  a 
model  of  a  ship  carved  by  one  of  his  sailors  out  of 
soup  bones,  and  there  are  two  great  china  tureens  in 
the  shape  of  swans,  and  some  ivories  and  queer  em- 
broidered screens  that  I  wouldn't  take  anything  for. 
It's  a  sort  of  jumble  for  a  modern  residence,  but  I 
like  it.  And  I  have  had  the  house  built  in  a  style 
which  will  be  in  keeping  with  my  belongings.  It's 
rocky  and  rugged  and  there's  a  fireplace  in  every 
room.  I  like  to  burn  logs  for  cheerfulness  even  when 
there's  a  furnace — and  to  come  home  to  the  light  of 
them  on  winter  nights." 

"  I  love  pretty  new  things,"  Bettina  informed  him. 
14  May  I  have  all  white  for  my  room  ?  With  ivory 
things  on  my  dresser  with  silver  monograms,  and—- 
white  fur  rugs  ?  " 

Her  room  I 

It  came  to  Anthony,  with  the  force  of  a  blow,  that 
there  was  no  room  in  the  big  house  for  Bettina, 

108 


THE  EMPTY  HOUSE 

Why,  that  room  was  Diana's — that  room  which 
looked  out  on  Minot's.  He  had  thought  of  her  as 
inhabiting  it.  He  had  never  meant  that  the  great 
light  should  say,  "  I  love  you,"  to  Bettina. 

For  months,  even  when  he  felt  that  he  had  lost 
Diana,  her  spirit  had  seemed  to  dwell  in  the  place  he 
had  planned  for  her.  Whenever  he  had  entered  her 
room  it  had  not  seemed  bare,  for  his  imagination 
had  filled  it  with  the  furniture  which  had  been  his 
grandmother's  wedding  set — the  big  canopied  bed, 
the  winged  chair  on  the  hearth,  the  quaint  lyre- 
legged  sewing  table  by  the  window.  And  on  the 
other  side  of  the  hearth  would  be  another  chair — his 
own.  And  in  that  room  he  had  seen  Diana,  his 
bride,  in  the  moonlight ;  his  wife,  waiting  in  th« 
winged  chair  to  welcome  him  after  a  weary  day. 

And  now  this  pretty  child — and  Diana  banished  T 
What  had  he  done  ?  What  dreadful  thing  had  he 
done? 

Bettina,  unconscious,  said  pleasant  things  about 
the  living-room,  the  library,  the  great  hall,  the  broad 
stairway  — 

As  yet  there  was  no  connection  for  lighting,  so 
they  carried  candles,  Anthony  holding  one  aloft  fot 

himself  and  Bettina,  and  Delia  coming  after  with  a 

109 


GLORT  OF  TOUTH 

taper.  Peter,  like  a  flash  of  flame,  slipped  ahead  of 
Delia  and  was  lost  in  the  shadows. 

They  went  into  every  room  on  the  second  floos 
before  they  entered  the  one  which  faced  Minot's.  To 
him  it  was  the  Holy  of  Holies,  but  Bettina  stepped  in 
boldly. 

It  was  a  great  high-ceiled  chamber  with  its 
distant  corners  made  darker  by  the  moonlight. 
Through  the  wide  window  which  faced  the  south 
was  a  vast  expanse  of  sky  and  sea.  Anthony's 
house  stood  near  the  end  of  the  harbor,  so  that 
across  the  causeway  was  the  open  water,  a  stretch  of 
limitless  blue. 

Bettina  shivered.     "  It's  so  big  and  dark." 

"  When  it's  furnished  and  the  lights  are  on  it  will 
seem  different" 

Delia,  arriving  at  that  moment,  added  her  contri- 
bution to  the  conversation. 

"  Miss  Diana  came  over  yesterday.  Them's  her 
white  lilacs  on  the  shelf." 

The  doctor  held  his  candle  higher.  The  flowers, 
in  a  great  bowl  of  gray  pottery,  showed  ghostly  out- 
lines beneath  the  flickering  flame.  To  Anthony  the 
air  seemed  thick  and  faint  with  their  perfume. 

"  Let  us  go,"  he  said  to  Bettina,  quickly,  and  with 
no 


THE  EMPTY  HOUSE 

his  hand  on  her  arm  he  led  her  away  and  shut  the 
door. 

Diana  and  Sophie,  coming  home  at  half-past  ten, 
found  the  lovers  on  the  porch,  and  the  four  talked 
together  until  Anthony  said  "  Good-bye." 

He  made  a  professional  call  in  a  side  street 
and  found  himself,  afterward,  turning  toward  the 
big  empty  house  on  the  rocks.  In  that  south  room 
Diana's  lilacs  were  wasting  their  sweetness,  and  he 
coveted  the  subtle  suggestion  they  gave  of  her 
presence  there. 

Diana,  helping  Delia  to  lock  up,  asked,  "  Where's 
Peter?" 

"  Goodness  knows,"  said  Delia ;  "  he  followed  me 
when  we  went  over  to  the  doctor's  house,  and  I  ain't 
seen  him  since." 

Diana  turned  and  looked  at  her.  "  The  doctor's 
house  ?  Who  went  ?  " 

"Dr.  Anthony  and  Miss  Betty  and  me.  They 
asked  me.  She  hadn't  ever  seen  it,  and  he  wanted 
to  show  it  to  her." 

Diana  felt  her  heart  stand  still. 

"  Did  you  go— into  every  room,  Delia?'* 

'•'•  Yes." 

in 


GLORT  OF  TOUTH 

So  he  had  taken  little  Betty  there.  They  had  entered 
that  room  to  which,  that  very  morning,  she  had  carried 
white  lilacs,  moved  by  some  impulse  to  call  it  her  own 
until  some  one  else  should  have  the  right  to  claim  it. 

"I'll  look  up  Peter,"  she  told  Delia,  hastily. 
'  You  needn't  wait  for  me." 

The  town  clock  struck  half-past  eleven  as  she  went 
through  the  garden — wraith-like  in  her  long  white 
wrap. 

"  Peter,"  she  called  softly,  "  Peter,  Peter." 

Following  the  path  over  the  rocks,  she  came  at 
last  to  the  empty  house. 

A  faint  mew  sounded  from  within.  She  turned 
the  knob,  and  found  the  door  unlocked.  "  Peter,'- 
she  called  again,  and  the  big  cat  came  forth,  his  tail 
waving  like  a  plume. 

Diana,  facing  the  darkness  of  the  great  hall,  felt 
impelled  to  enter,  to  slip  silently  up  the  stairs,  to 
stand  on  the  threshold  of  the  moonlighted  chamber, 
whence  came  the  perfume  of  white  lilacs. 

And  as  she  stood  there,  she  saw,  with  a  sudden 
leap  of  the  heart,  that  Anthony  was  before  her. 
Silhouetted  against  the  wide  space  of  the  open  win- 
dow he  was  looking  out  at  the  flashing  light. 

She  put  her  hand  to  her  throat.     She  stepped  back 

112 


THE  EMPTY  HOUSE 

as  if  to  escape.  Then,  swayed  by  an  impulse  which 
cast  prudence  to  the  winds,  she  spoke  his  name. 

"  Anthony  1 " 

"  Diana ! " 

He  had  turned  from  the  window,  and  was  peering 
through  the  dimness.  He  came  toward  her.  She 
held  out  her  hands  to  keep  him  back. 

"  Oh,  please — no — no " 

But  he  took  her  in  his  arms. 

When  he  let  her  go  his  face  was  white. 

"  There  is  no  excuse  for  me,"  he  said.  "  I  know 
that.  I've  given  my  word  of  honor  to  that  little 
child — who  trusts  me.  Yet — this  room  belongs  to 
you.  Before  you  came  to-night  I  touched  the  lilacs 
with  my  lips,  and  it  seemed  to  me  as  if  they  were 
your  lips — that  I  touched.  And  when  I  turned  and 
saw  you — white — like  a  bride — on  the  threshold — it 
was  as  I  had  seen  you,  night  after  night — in  my 
dreams.  You  belong  here  and  no  other,  Diana  ! " 

What  she  said  in  reply  Diana  could  never  remem- 
ber with  any  great  distinctness.  She  only  knew  that 
she  was  trying  to  hold  on  as  best  she  could  to  the 
best  that  was  within  her.  Anthony  in  this  moment 
of  weakness  was  hers.  Whatever  she  did  now 
would  bring  him  to  her  or  send  him  away — perhaps 


GLORT  OF  TOUTH 

forever.  She  struggled  to  think  clearly — to  raise 
some  barrier  between  his  awakened  passion  and  her 
own  wild  desire  to  take  what  the  gods  had  placed 
within  easy  reach  of  her  hand. 

Suddenly  she  found  herself  speaking.  Her  throat 
was  dry  and  she  was  shaking  from  head  to  foot 
But  she  was  telling  him  that  she  had  tried  to  use 
common  sense.  That  she  had  asked  Bettina  to  come 
to  her  hoping  that  there  might  be  found  some  way 
out  But  there  wasrit  any  way  out,  not  any  honor- 
able way.  And  she  didn't  dare  play  Fate  any  longer. 
Not  after  to-night.  Not  after — tonight. 

Her  voice  broke. 

"  Diana — dear  girl " 

He  put  both  of  his  strong  hands  on  her  shoulders, 
and  so  they  faced  each  other  in  the  illumined  night. 

"For  just  one  little  moment,"  he  said,  "we  will 
have  the  truth.  If  I  had  not  asked  Betty  you  would 
have  married  me,  Diana  ?  " 

"  Yes." 

"  If  there  is  any  honorable  way  in  which  I  can  re- 
lease myself,  will  you  marry  me  now  ?  " 

She  had  a  sudden  vision  of  the  slender,  lonely 
child  in  shabby  black  as  she  had  first  seen  her  in  the 
shadowy  room. 

114 


THE  EMPTY  HOUSE 

"  No,  oh,  no,"  she  whispered. 

"Why  not?" 

"  Because  there  isn't  any  honorable  way  ;  because 
I  should  feel  little  and  mean ;  because  it  ,vould  make 
me  think  less — of  you,  Anthony." 

Her  eyes  met  his  steadily.  She  was  as  pale  as  the 
spectral  lilacs,  whose  perfume  floated  about  them. 
But  her  nervous  fears  were  gone.  She  knew  now 
that  they  would  triumph — she  and  Anthony — that 
they  were  not  to  leave  the  heights. 

When  at  last  he  spoke,  it  was  in  a  moved  voice. 
"  If  you  were  less  than  you  are  I  should  not  love  you 
so  much.  You  know  that,  Diana?" 

"  Yes,  I  know " 

"  In  the  years  to  come,  what  you  have  been  to  me 
will  be  my  light — in  the  darkness " 

Unable  to  speak,  she  held  out  her  hands  to  him. 
He  took  them,  and  bent  his  head. 

With  a  little  murmured  cry  she  released  herself, 
and  flitted  away  into  the  engulfing  darkness.  The 
echoes  of  her  swift  descent  came  whispering  up  the 
stairs  ;  in  the  distance  a  door  was  shut  The  empti- 
ness of  the  unfinished  house  seemed  symbolic  of  the 
future  which  stretched  before  him. 


CHAPTER  IX 

THE  GOLDEN  AGE 

JUSTIN  FORD  had  not  been  unsuccessful  with 
*J  women.  Many  of  them  had  liked  him,  and 
might  have  loved  him  if  he  had  cared  to  make  them, 
but  until  he  met  Bettina  Dolce  he  had  not  cared. 

There  was  about  Bettina,  however,  a  certain  re- 
moteness which  puzzled  him.  She  responded  to  his 
advances  with  girlish  gayety,  but  her  cool  sweet 
glance  held  no  hint  of  self-consciousness,  and  beyond 
a  certain  point  of  light  flirtation  he  had,  as  yet,  dared 
not  go. 

He  pondered  these  things  one  morning  as  he 
worked  on  his  delieate  machine  in  the  great  shed 
with  its  wide  opening  toward  the  water. 

Why  had  little  Bettina  erected  a  barrier  ?  She 
knew  nothing  of  the  arts  of  sophisticated  coquetry, 
so  he  absolved  her  from  any  intention  to  rouse  his 
interest.  Was  she  unawakened?  Was  there  an- 
other man  ? 

He  laid  down  his  pipe  to  think  out  that  last  start- 
lib 


THE  GOLDEN  AGE 

ling   proposition.     There  had  been  no  men  in 
secluded  life. 

Except  Anthony  Blake  I  Gracious  Peter,  could  it 
be  Anthony  ?  There  came  to  Justin,  suddenly,  a 
vision  of  Bettina  in  the  shadowy  room.  Of  her  child- 
ish dependence  upon  the  doctor,  of  her  little  claims 
of  intimacy,  her  evident  preference  for  the  older 
man's  society,  her  vehement  denial  the  night  of  the 
dinner  that  there  could  be  anything  but  friendship 
between  Anthony  and  Diana. 

Putting,  thus,  two  and  two  together,  he  decided 
that  Bettina  believed  herself  in  love  with  Anthony. 
Yes,  that  was  it — and  Anthony — well,  for  Anthony 
there  was  just  Diana  ! 

There  you  had  it,  and  the  only  way  to  save  Bet- 
tina and,  incidentally,  himself  from  heartbreak  was  to 
take  things  into  his  own  hands,  and  play  Prince  to 
this  exquisite  Cinderella. 

Unconsciously  his  mind  assumed  a  sort  of  King 
Cophetua  attitude  toward  the  charming  Beggar 
Maid  He  found  himself  humming : 

"  In  robe  and  crown  the  king  stept  down, 
To  meet  and  greet  her  on  her  way " 

Justin  knocked  the  ashes  out  of  his  pipe  and  put  it 

117 


GLORT  OF  YOUTH 

in  his  pocket.  There  was  no  time  like  the  present, 
and  he  at  once  went  toward  Diana's,  "  clothed  all  in 
leather,"  like  the  old  man  in  the  nursery  rhyme. 

He  found  Bettina  in  the  garden.  She  wore  a 
strong  little  suit  of  blue  serge  with  a  crimson  silk 
scarf  knotted  under  her  sailor  collar.  On  her  fair 
head  was  a  shady  hat  She  stood  by  the  stone  wall 
looking  expectantly  down  the  road.  But  it  was  not 
Justin  whom  she  expected,  although  she  smiled  at 
him,  and  gave  him  her  hand. 

"  Did  you  meet  Miss  Matthews  ?  "  she  inquired. 

"  Miss  Matthews  ?  " 

"  You  know.  You  met  her  the  first  time  you  saw 
me." 

"  I  can  only  remember  that  time  that  I  met — you.'1 

She  laughed.     "  How  nicely  you  say  it." 

"  But  you  do  not  take  me  seriously." 

"  Does  anybody  take  you  seriously  ?  " 

"  Kind  people  do." 

"And  I'm  not  kind?" 

0  Not  to  me — you  just  give  me  remnants  and 
fragments  of  your  time.  I  have  hardly  seen  you  for 
three  days." 

"  Nobody  has  seen  me,"  she  informed  him.  "  I've 
been  doing  all  sorts  of  stunts  in  the  shops  I  was  iw 

118 


THE  GOLDEN  AGE 

town  yesterday  with  Mrs.  Martens,  and  you  should 
see  my  hats " 

"I'd  rather  see  your  hair.  Do  you  know  how 
lovely  it  is  with  the  sunshine  on  it " 

"  Silly — wait  till  you  see  my  dream  of  a  picture 
hat — with  yellow  roses — to  be  worn  with  a  shadow 
lace  robe  over  a  primrose  slip." 

"White  and  gold — Sophie  was  foxy  to  choose 
that,"  he  said. 

"  Foxy— why  ?  " 

"Oh,  the  pinks  and  blues  don't  suit  you.  You 
need  the  unusual  tints.  That  amethyst  frock  you 
had  on  the  other  night  fitted  in  with  the  twilight,  and 
the  old  garden  and  the  lilacs ;  and  in  the  yellow  and 
white  you'll  be  a  primrose,  flashing  in  the  sun." 

"  Mrs.  Martens  has  the  most  wonderful  taste/'  she 
informed  him.  "  There's  a  tea-gown  of  white  crape 
with  a  little  lace  wrap — I  don't  know  when  I'll  wear 
it,  but  Mrs.  Martens  insisted — and  a  new  gown  for 
the  yacht  club  dance  to-morrow  night, — and  you 
should  see  my  shoes — five  pairs  of  them." 

"  Such  richness !  "  He  smiled  into  her  eager  eyes. 
'*  Did  Diana  help  you  choose  ?  " 

"  Diana's  away — on  business  in  the  city.     That's 

why  I'm  free  to  do  as  I  please  to-day." 

119 


GLORT  OF  YOUTH 

"Are  you  free  to  do  as  you  please ?"  He  seized 

his  opportunity.  "  Then  come  up  to  the  shed  and 
see  my  air-ship.  We  can  have  a  little  flight  across 
the  harbor." 

She  shook  her  head.  "  Oh,  I  can't  I  have  an 
engagement  with  Captain  Stubbs  and  Miss  Mat- 
thews. We  are  going  fishing  in  the  captain's  boat, 
and  have  lunch  on  the  rocks  later." 

Justin  looked  at  her  thoughtfully  for  a  moment, 
then  he  said,  "Three's  a  crowd.  You  ought  to 
have  four." 

"  Are  you  asking — to  be  invited  ?  " 

"  Please " 

"  But  it's  Captain  Stubbs'  party." 

"  I  am  perfectly  sure  that  if  you'll  give  me  a  cer- 
tificate of  good  character  Captain  Stubbs  will  take 
me  aboard." 

She  seemed  to  be  summing  up  the  situation. 
"  I'm  not  sure,"  she  said,  at  last,  "  that  you'd  fit 
in " 

"Why  not?" 

"  Oh,  the  captain's  old-fashioned,  and  Miss  Mat- 
thews is  old-fashioned,  and  I  love  them  both,  and  so 
I  don't  care.  But  you  don't  love  them." 

He  flushed.  "  I  see.  You're  afraid  that  Fll  make 
I  JO 


THE  GOLDEN  AGE 

them  feel  uncomfortable.  I  am  sorry  you  should 
think  that  I'm  not  quite  a  cad,  you  know." 

There  were  sparks  in  his  eyes.  He  wondered  that 
he  should  be  so  angry.  But  he  was  desperately 
angry  with  this  cool  little  creature  who  didn't  seem 
to  care. 

And  now  she  was  passing  frigid  judgment  on  his 
blazing  words.  "  Of  course  you  aren't  a  cad.  I 
didn't  say  you  were.  But  you  aren't  like  Bobbie 
Tucker  or  Dr.  Blake.  They  have  always  known 
these  people,  and  they  understand  them.  There 
are  no  class  distinctions  in  a  town  like  this,  you 
know " 

"  Have  I  seemed  such  a  prig  to  you  ?  " 

She  cocked  her  head  on  one  side  and  considered 
him,  "Not  since  I  talked  to  Mrs.  Martens  about 
you.  She  told  me  how  nice  you  were  in  Germany." 

In  Germany ;  ye  gods !  Was  he  nice  only  in  Ger- 
many ? 

He  stared  at  her  blankly.  He  had  a  feeling  that 
he  would  like  to  shake  her  ;  that  he  would  like  to — 
kiss  her. 

In  the  midst  of  her  conflicting  emotions  little  Mis* 
Matthews  arrived,  and  behind  her  steamed  Captain 
Stubbs, 

121 


GLORT  OF  TOUTH 

Justin,  murmuring  inarticulately,  acknowledged 
the  introduction  to  the  captain,  and  greeted  Miss 
Matthews. 

Miss  Matthews  was  very  prim  and  trim  in  a  white 
shirt-waist  and  stiff  collar.  She  had  a  gray  sweater 
over  her  arm,  and  a  green  veil  was  tied  over  her  soft 
felt  hat.  She  carried  in  her  hand  a  brown  Boston 
bag,  the  contents  of  which  she  explained  to  Bettina. 

"  I  told  the  captain  I  would  bring  some  home- 
made pickles." 

Justin  gave  immediate  attention. 

"  Miss  Matthews,"  he  said,  "  do  you  mean  to  say 
that  you  three  will  eat  fish  chowder  and  home-made 
pickles,  and  that  I  shan't  be  there  ?  " 

The  little  captain,  in  a  glow  of  hospitality,  said 
heartily,  "  Now,  look  here ;  can't  you  come  with 
us?" 

Justin  showed  his  white  teeth  in  a  flashing  smile. 
"  It's  an  invitation  that  I've  been  fishing  for  all  the 
morning,  but  Miss  Dolce  won't  ask  me." 

"Don't  you  want  him?"  the  little  captain  de- 
manded  of  Bettina. 

"  Of  course,"  in  the  tone  of  one  to  whom  it  didn't 
really  matter.  "  Perhaps  he  can  help  you  with  the 
boat,  captain." 

122 


THE  GOLDEN  AGE 

Justin,  carrying  Miss  Matthews'  bag,  helping  the 
captain  over  with  the  supplies,  lifting  Bettina  over 
the  side  of  the  boat  with  strong  arms  which  yearned 
to  show  their  strength,  was  in  a  mental  attitude  far 
removed  from  his  King  Cophetua  mood  of  the 
earlier  morning.  He  was  at  this  moment  a  slave 
chained  to  Bettina's  chariot  wheel.  And  the  strange 
part  of  it  was  that  he  gloried  in  his  chains!  He 
realized  that  he  was  going  out  with  her  on  a  forced 
invitation,  but  he  was  going!  And  the  sea  was 
like  sapphire,  and  the  sun  shone  I 

Little  Miss  Matthews,  looking  back  afterward  on 
that  glorified  fishing  trip,  was  forced  to  confess  that 
Justin  left  nothing  undone  for  her  which  could  be 
done.  Never  in  her  life  had  she  been  deferred  to  by 
such  a  charming  youth,  never  had  her  little  budget 
of  small  talk  received  such  respectful  consideration, 
never  had  she  been  waited  on,  hand  and  foot,  by 
such  a  cavalier ! 

Rarely  did  Justin's  eyes  stray  to  where  Bettina  sat 
jeside  the  captain,  chatting  to  him  in  her  confiding 
voice,  making  his  old  heart  happy  by  her  interest  in 
his  sea-seasoned  reminiscences. 

It  was  really  a  most  altruistic  performance.     One 

might  havu  imagined  that  for  Justin  there  was  just 

123 


GLORT  OF  TOUTH 

one  woman  in  the  world — Miss  Matthews ;  and  fot 
Bettina,  just  one  man — Captain  Stubbs.  Yet.  as 
the  little  boat  rounded  the  lighthouse  point  and 
came  into  the  rougher  waters  outside,  young  hearts 
were  thrilling  to  the  sound  of  young  voices,  and  the 
music  of  the  spheres  was  being  played  to  the  ac- 
companiment of  beating  waves. 

When  at  last  they  anchored,  the  fishing  was 
really  incidental.  To  be  sure  it  was  exciting,  and 
they  had  an  excellent  catch,  but  Bettina's  hat  was  off 
and  Justin  could  see  her  hair.  And  Justin,  standing 
up  in  the  bow  of  the  boat  with  his  line  outflung, 
was,  in  Bettina's  eyes,  more  than  ever  like  a  young 
Olympian  god. 

It  was  the  same  at  lutich  time.  They  landed  on  a 
crescent-shaped  strip  of  beach,  backed  by  rocky 
walls,  where  there  was  plenty  of  driftwood  for  their 
fire.  There  the  captain  gave  his  mind  to  the  mak- 
ing of  chowder,  and  Miss  Matthews  rendered  expert 
service  in  the  cutting  up  of  onions  and  potatoes,  and 
in  the  frying  of  salt  pork. 

Justin  opened  the  pickle  bottle  and  did  other 
prosaic  and  ungodlike  acts,  and  Bettina  laid  the 
table  on  the  sands  like  a  real  girl  instead  of  a  trans- 
ported nymph,  yet  each  saw  the  other  through  3 

124 


THE  GOLDEN  AGE 

golden  haze  which  magnified  the  most  trivial  act 
and  made  it  important. 

Thus,  when  Bettina  set  four  blue  bowls  at  exact 
geometric  distances  on  the  cloth,  Justin  thought  not 
of  the  bowls,  but  of  Bettina's  slim  white  hands ;  and 
likewise  Justin,  gathering  driftwood,  commended 
himself  to  Bettina  not  for  his  industry,  but  for  his 
swinging  walk  and  square  shoulders. 

For  several  days  Bettina  had  been  heavy-hearted. 
She  had  not  seen  Anthony.  He  had  called  her  up 
over  the  telephone,  and  had  made  his  excuses ;  there 
was  the  little  girl  with  the  appendicitis  and  the  old 
man  with  the  pneumonia — how  Bettina  hated  the 
repetition.  He  would  come  and  see  her  as  soon  as 
possible,  he  promised,  but  he  had  not  come, 

Diana,  too,  had  not  been  like  herself.  On  the 
morning  after  Bettina's  visit  to  Anthony's  house  she 
had  not  appeared  until  luncheon.  She  had  looked 
like  a  ghost,  and  had  been  very  busy  all  the  after- 
noon. She  had  hinted  at  affairs  which  would  take 
her  to  town  for  a  time,  and  finally  she  had  gone 
away.  Even  Mrs.  Martens  had  seemed  disturbed 
and  restless.  Hence  Bettina  had  welcomed  the 
invitation  from  Captain  Stubbs.  Justin's  high 

spirits,  his  evident  delight  in  her  society,  his  anger 

125 


GLORT  OF  TOUTH 

at  her  rebuffs — these  things  soothed  and  flattered 
her.  Above  all  there  was  the  charm  of  his  glorious 
youth.  She  found  herself  swayed  to  his  mood. 
Might  she  not  for  one  little  fleeting  moment  dance 
to  the  tune  that  he  piped  ? 

Letting  herself  go,  therefore,  she  was  at  luncheon 
bewildering  in  her  beauty.  Justin's  mocking  eyes 
grew  tender  as  he  watched  her.  Here  was  no  pretty 
Beggar  Maid  for  masculine  condescension,  but  rather 
a  little  goddess  to  be  put  on  a  pedestal  and  worshiped. 

Captain  Stubbs  and  Miss  Matthews,  unconscious  of 
the  forces  which  were  charging  the  air  about  them, 
ate  their  chowder  and  took  their  enjoyment  placidly. 

"  A  fish  chowder,'*  said  the  little  captain,  "  never 
tastes  so  good  in  the  house  as  it  does  out-of-doors, 
with  the  cod  fresh  caught,  and  with  the  smell  of  the 
sea  for  sauce." 

Bettina  passed  her  bowl  for  more. 

"  It  is  delicious,''  she  said ;  "  everything  is — lovely.*" 

"  Isn't  it  ?  "  said  Justin.  "  There  never  was  such  a 
feast — there  never  was  such  a  day ! " 

Yet  there  had  been  many  such  days ;  there  had 
been  many  such  feasts.  But  not  for  them  !  It  was 
the  golden  age  of  their  existence.  The  moment  of 
youth  and  joy,  unmarred  by  disillusion. 

126 


CHAPTER  X 

STORM   SIGNALS 

THE  wind,  rising,  blew  Miss  Matthews'  green 
veil  into  a  long  thin  wisp  which  flapped  toward 
the  northwest. 

The  captain,  noticing  it,  glanced  over  his  shoulder, 

"  We'll  have  a  storm  before  we  know  it,"  he  said. 
;<  It's  dark  enough  over  there  in  the  south " 

Above  the  horizon  rose  the  clouds,  black  with 
wind ;  the  waves  began  to  murmur  and  run  in,  in 
long  lines  of  white. 

"  There'll  be  no  getting  back  now,"  said  the  cap- 
tain. 

Justin's  eyes  searched  the  land  for  shelter.  Be* 
yond  the  rocky  wall  was  a  hillside  of  hemlock,  which 
formed  part  of  the  estate  of  a  magnate  from  the 
West.  Beyond  the  trees  was  a  great  house,  shut  up 
now,  and  in  the  hands  of  a  caretaker.  Nothing  else 
seemed  to  offer  refuge  from  the  storm. 

"  What  do  you  think,  captain  ?  "  he  asked.   "  Had 

we  better  try  to  make  the  house  ? '" 

127 


GLORT  OF  TOUTH 

"I've  got  my  oilskins,"  the  captain  said.  "Pfl 
Stay  here,  but  perhaps  you  folks  had  better  run  in." 

Miss  Matthews  protested.  "  I've  lived  too  long 
on  this  coast  to  mind  a  storm.  I'll  wrap  up  in  my 
rubber  coat  and  let  it  rain.  But  we'd  better  get  that 
child  in  somewhere  ;  she's  scared  of  storms." 

"  Are  you  ?  "  Justin  asked  Bettina. 

"  If  there's  going  to  be  wind,"  she  said,  tl  I'm 
awfully  afraid." 

"  Then  we'll  run  for  it,"  he  told  her  ;  "  up  the  hill 
to  the  house." 

As  he  helped  her  climb  the  rocks,  they  took  a  last 
glance  back  at  the  stolid  pair  who  didn't  mind 
storms.  Captain  Stubbs  in  brilliantly  yellow  new 
oilskins  and  Miss  Matthews  in  a  sad-colored  water- 
proof coat  sat  side  by  side  with  their  backs  against 
the  beached  boat. 

"  Perhaps  we  should  have  stayed  with  them,"  said 
Bettina,  doubtfully,  as  Justin  drew  her  up  to  his  level. 

But  Justin  had  no  doubts.  Ahead  of  them  was 
the  dimness  of  the  hemlock  forest ;  the  solitude  of 
the  storm.  He  coveted  the  brief  moments  when 
they  might  be  alone  together. 

"Come,"  he  urged,  and  they  entered  upon  the 
darkness  of  the  wood, 

128 


STORM   SIGNALS 

As  they  sped  along  over  the  cushioned  earth, 
Justin  helped  her  strongly,  half  lifting  her  at  times 
over  the  rough  places. 

"Are  you  afraid  ?"  he  asked  her,  and  she  shock 
her  head. 

With  a  roar  and  a  rush  the  storm  was  upon  them. 
For  a  few  moments  they  were  in  the  midst  of  chaos. 
The  air  was  full  of  flying  things,  and  the  branches 
crashed  and  fell. 

To  Bettina,  emotionally  tense,  the  real  world  had 
disappeared  She  was  a  disembodied  spirit,  floating 
through  infinite  space  with  another  spirit  as  joyous, 
as  exalted,  as  triumphant  as  her  own. 

When  he  asked  her  again,  "  Are  you  afraid  ? " 
and  she  again  shook  her  head,  it  came  to  her,  sud- 
denly, that  she  was  not  afraid  because  she  was  with 
him.  She  felt  no  wonder  that  it  was  so.  In  this 
wild  world  there  was  no  place  for  wonder.  She  and 
Justin  were  laughing  madly  as  they  raced.  Her 
hair,  loosed  by  the  wind,  streamed  out  behind  her. 
Once  it  caught  on  a  button  of  Justin's  coat,  and  held 
her  so  close  to  him  that,  when  he  unwound  it,  she 
felt  the  quickened  beating  of  his  heart. 

As  they  again  sped  on,  she  felt  as  if  never  before 

had  she  been  alive  in  such  a  radiant  wonderful  sense 

129 


GLORT  OF  YOUTH 

"  Are  you  afraid  ?  "  he  asked  for  the  third  time, 
bending  down  to  catch  her  answer. 

"  It's  glorious,"  she  panted.  Then  as  the  rain 
•tame,  he  shielded  her  with  his  arm,  and  shouted : 

"  We'll  have  to  make  a  dash  through  the  open ; 
here's  the  house  ahead  1 " 

The  great  house  was  closed  and  deserted,  but  they 
bund  a  cloistered  porch  from  which  they  could  look 
out  on  the  storm. 

Below  them  the  trees  were  whipped  and  bent  by 
the  gale.  Against  the  horizon  the  sea  rose  like  a 
great  gray  wall.  Straining  their  eyes,  they  could 
catch  a  glimmer  of  the  captain's  yellow  coat  on  the 
strip  of  sand. 

"  The  worst  of  the  wind  is  over,"  said  Justin ; 
"  we  were  lucky  to  escape  the  heavy  rain." 

Bettina,  who  was  braiding  her  hair,  looked  up  at 
him.  "  Wasn't  it  wonderful  down  there  in  the 
wood  ?  " 

"  Did  you  think  it  wonderful  ?  " 

Something  in  his  eyes  made  her  say,  hastily 
'  I've  never  been  out  in  a  storm  before." 

He  did  not  reply  at  once.  He  was  watching  her 
slender  fingers  twist  the  shining  strands. 

"  Let  me  do  that  for  you,"  he  said,  suddenly 
130 


STORM   SIGNALS 


*'  No,  oh,  no 


"  Why  not  ?  " 

"  Because."  She  walked  away  from  him,  and 
seated  herself  on  a  marble  bench  under  one  of  the 
closed  windows. 

He  sat  down  beside  her.  "  I  didn't  mean  that  im- 
pertinently ;  truly  I  did  not  I  used  to  braid  my 
little  sister's  hair.  She  was  lame  and  I  took  care  of 
her,  and,  as  I  watched  you,  I  thought  of — my  little 
sister." 

"  Tell  me  about  her." 

"  There  isn't  much  to  tell,  except  that  when  I  was 
a  great  hulking  youngster,  with  only  her  to  love — 
she  died " 

"  Oh,— I'm  so  sorry " 

He  went  on  slowly,  still  watching  her  busy  fingers. 

Since  then  I  have  never  had  a  friend.  Not  the 
kind  she  was.  Why,  she  used  to  love  to  listen 
to  my  boy's  talk — of  how  I  was  going  to  be 
great,  of  how  I  was  going  to  conquer  the  world, — 
and  she  has  been  dead  ten  years — and  I  have  done 
nothing.'5 

It  was  a  new  Justin  who  spoke  in  this  fashion. 
To  Bettina  he  had  always  seemed  as  light  as  air,  and 

she  had  enjoyed  his  frivolity,  but  now  she  felt  some- 

IU 


GLORT  OF  TOUTH 

thing  more  than  enjoyment, — a  yearning  to  be  of 
use  to  this  big  boy  who  was  all  alone,  and  who  missed 
his  little  sister. 

Surely  to  be  his  friend  need  not  interfere  in  any 
way  with  Anthony's  claims.  She  loved  Anthonyt 
and  was  going  to  marry  him,  of  course.  But  friend* 
ship  and  love  were  different  things.  Why,  Mrs. 
Martens  was  married,  and  she  had  been  Justin's 
friend  in  Germany. 

She  spoke  her  thought     "  But  Mrs.  Martens  ?  " 

"  She  was  a  dear — but  she  is  older  than  I — and  I 
stood  a  bit  in  awe  of  her — she  sympathized  with  me 
— but  she  could  not  dream  with  me,  and  I  wanted 
some  one  to  share  my  dreams." 

Bettina's  blue  eyes  were  wistful.  What  a  wonder- 
ful thing  it  would  be  to  share  somebody's  dreams. 
She  was  perfectly  !>ure  that  she  did  not  share  An- 
thony's. He  had  never  told  her  of  his  dreams. 
Perhaps  he  didn't  have  any.  His  life  was  so  prac- 
tical and  full  of  work,  and  then  he  was  old — oh,  yes, 
indeed,  he  was  older  than  Mrs.  Martens — and  Justin 
had  said  that  Sophie  was  too  old  to.  understand. 

She  found  herself  asking,  "  What  were  your 
dreams  ? r 

"  Shan't  I  bore  you  ?  " 

132 


STORM   SIGNALS 


"  No — please 


"  Well,  there  was  one  dream  which  my  little  sister 
and  I  used  to  discuss  as  I  braided  her  hair  at  night 
It  was  a  dream  that  some  day  I  should  be  great. 
She  had  a  different  idea  of  greatness  from  mine,  and 
we  used  to  argue  the  question.  I  don't  think  she 
ever  wanted  me  to  be  President  of  the  United  States 
or  to  hold  high  office ;  she  wanted  me  to  do  some- 
thing which  would  help  humanity.  She  used  to  wish 
that  I  might  preach  or  teach  ;  she  was  such  a  good 
little  thing.  And  I  would  tell  her  that  none  of  these 
vocations  were  for  me ;  I  must  win  fame  in  a  differ- 
ent way.  I  wanted  to  invent  something  which  would 
make  the  world  stare.  Perhaps  that's  the  reason  I 
took  up  aviation  after  she  died.  I  thought  I  might 
make  some  great  advance  on  the  inventions  of  other 
men.  But  the  other  men  made  them  first,  you  see, 
and  I've  just  frivoled  and  played.  Yet,  as  I  saw 
you  braiding  your  hair,  it  brought  back  my  little 
sister  so  vividly,  and  I  wondered  what  she  would 
think  of  me — now." 

For  the  first  time  in  her  life  her  heart  was  stirred 
by  the  maternal  tenderness  which  is  the  heritage  of 
good  women.  Her  timid  hand  touched  his  sleeve, 
lightly. 

133 


GLORT  OF  TOUTH 

"I  am  sure,"  said  her  little  voice,  unsteadily, 
"  that  if  she  knew  you  now,  she  would  think  you 
were — very  nice." 

"  You  darling,"  he  was  saying  in  his  heart,  but  he 
dared  not  say  it  with  his  lips.  And  he  went  on  as 
calmly  as  he  could. 

"  I  wish  I  could  make  you  see  my  little  sister  as  I 
knew  her.  She  was  such  a  pale  little  thing,  with 
pale  gold  hair,  and  a  little  narrow  face,  and  pale  blue 
eyes  When  I  began  to  read  Tennyson,  I  found  my 
little  sister  again  in  '  Elaine ' — and  do  you  know,  I 
was  half  glad  she  didn't  live  to  grow  up.  Some  man 
might  have  hurt  her  as  Lancelot  hurt  Elaine.  I 
know  I  haven't  realized  her  dreams  for  me — but  I've 
tried  to  hold  on  a  bit  to  her  ideal  of  goodness,  and  it 
has  kept  me  from  things  which  might  ha^ve  made  me 
less  of  a  man " 

She  was  thrilled  as  she  had  never  been.  Justin 
began  to  loom  up  in  her  mind's  eye  as  the  Knight  of 
the  Tender  Heart — that  was  what  Sophie  had  called 
him.  And  how  wonderful  that  he  should  be  telling 
her  all  this  1 

14  Then,"  he  continued,  "  the  money  came  to  me, 
and  since  then  I've  been  a  butterfly,  I  have  not 
made  good  use  of  my  wealth.  I  have  needed  a 

134 


STORM   SIGNALS 

friend,  you  see,  to  help  me  make  my  dreams  come 
true." 

He  looked  down  at  her.     "  Would  you  ?  "  he  asked. 

"  Be  your  friend  ?  " 

"  Yes." 

"  Oh,  but  I'm  not  good  enough.  I've  always  been 
a  little  selfish  thing,  except  with  mother.  I  loved 
her  and  I  wasn't  selfish  with  her.  But  I've  wanted 
a  good  time,  and  I  haven't  cared  for  anything  but 
my  own  pleasure.  I'm  not  like  your  little  sister,  you 
see.  I'm  just  a  butterfly,  too." 

"  Oh,  you — you're  an  angel,"  ardently. 

Again  she  was  thrilled.  Anthony  had  never  said 
such  things  to  her.  Anthony  had  called  her  a  child, 
and  he  had  not  needed  her.  And  Justin  wanted  her 
friendship  !  All  her  awakened  womanhood  rose  to 
meet  his  demand. 

So  intent  was  she  on  her  thought  that  she  did  not 
feel  the  cold.  But  her  lips  were  blue,  and  she  shiv- 
ered as  the  wind  swept  around  the  corner. 

Justin  jumped  at  once  to  his  feet 

"  I'm  a  brute  to  keep  you  here.  There  must  be 
some  one  around  the  place  who  can  take  us  in." 

He  left  her,  to  come  back  presently  with  the  news 
that  there  was  a  man  down  at  the  stables,  and  that 

135 


GLORT  OF  YOUTH 

there  was  a  fire  in  the  harness  room.  He  brought  a 
rain  coat,  and  wrapped  her  in  it,  scolding  himself  all 
along  the  way  for  his  neglect  of  her  comfort. 

The  stables  of  the  Western  magnate  were  vast  and 
wonderful.  They  had  been  divorced  somewhat  from 
their  original  use  as  a  place  for  horses,  two-thirds  of 
:he  space  being  given  up  to  motor  cars  and  electrics. 
But  the  riding  horses  were  in  their  stalls,  and,  as 
Bettina  entered,  their  heads  went  up. 

She  stopped  to  pet  them,  then  the  groom  led  the 
way  to  the  harness  room. 

It  was  a  picturesque  place,  with  its  lacquered 
leather,  its  shining  brass,  its  racing  trophies,  blue 
ribbons,  gold-handled  whips  and  crops,  silver  cups 
and  medals.. 

"  I'll  telephone  for  my  car,"  Justin  said,  "  and  send 
a  boy  down  to  Captain  Stubbs  and  Miss  Matthews. 
They'll  probably  go  back  in  the  boat,  now  that  the 
storm  is  over." 

With  the  message  sent,  and  the  smiling  groom, 
pleased  with  Justin's  generous  tip,  dismissed,  the  two 
were  again  alone. 

"  This  is  better,"  said  Justin,  as  they  settled  them- 
selves  in  front  of  the  fire.  "  Now  you'll  get  some 
color  in  your  cheeks." 

136 


STORM  SIGNALS 

With  her  chin  on  her  hand,  she  said  slowly,  "  Do 
you  know  that  nobody  ever  asked  me  to  be  his  friend 
before?" 

"  That's  luck  for  me.  There'll  be  no  one  else  to 
share " 

She  glanced  up  at  him  with  enchanting  shyness. 
"  The  trouble  with  most  men  is,  I  imagine,  that  they 
don't  want  friendship — they  want  love,  and  that  isn't 
easy  for  a  woman  to  give,  is  it  ?  " 

Silence,  then  at  last,  uncertainly,  "  I  suppose  not." 

"  Any  man  can  fall  in  love  with  a  woman,"  she  in- 
formed him,  "  but  it  seems  to  me  that  it  must  take 
certain  kinds  of  men  and  women  to  be  friends. 
That's  why  it  seems  so  wonderful.  Why,  even  if  I 
married  some  one  else,  I  could  still  be  your  friend, 
couldn't  I  ?" 

"  Ye-es.     Oh,  yes,  of  course." 

"  Perhaps  that's  what  I've  missed  all  my  life — the 
chance  to  really  inspire  some  one.  You  know  it's 
nice  to  feel  that  you're  helping.  And  some  men  are 
so  self-sufficient,  so  secure.  You  wouldn't  feel  that 
you'd  dare  to  suggest.  You:d  only  be  a  child  to 
them — and  while  it  might  be  nice  to  marry  a  man 
like  that,  it  would  be  nice,  too,  to  have  the  other 
kind  for  a  friend/ 

'37 


GLORY  OF  TOUTH 

Of  all  the  bewildering  little  creatures  1  If  she 
married  some  other  man,  forsooth  !  He  set  his  teeth 
Well,  she  shouldn't  marry  any  other  man. 

"  Look  here,"  he  asked,  suddenly,  "  have  you  ever 
been  in  love  ?  " 

She  nodded,  all  rosy  color  and  drooped  lashes. 
The  unexpectedness  of  her  answer  made  him  hesitate, 
but  finally  he  ventured,  "  How  did  it  feel  ?  " 

She  considered  gravely.  "  Why,  it's  comfortable 
to  know  that  you'll  always  have  some  one  to  take 
care  of  you,  some  one  who's  tender  and  good — too 
good,  perhaps " 

Justin  was  perplexed.  She  had  spoken  in  the 
present  tense.  Was  it  possible  that  her  fancy  was 
really  held  by  Anthony  ?  Had  their  wild  race  in  the 
storm  meant  nothing  to  her  ?  To  him  it  had  seemed 
a  sort  of  spiritual  mating,  with  the  storm  crashing 
out  a  brilliant  bridal  chorus. 

He  leaned  forward.  "What  you're  talking  of 
isn't  love,"  he  said,  almost  roughly.  "  Love  doesn't 
mean  being  comfortable ;  it  doesn't  mean  being 
petted  and  coddled  like  a  pussy  cat,  or  being  looked 
after  like  a  child.  It  means  what  it  meant  to  Romeo 
when  he  killed  himself  for  love  of  Juliet  It  means 
what  it  meant  to  Orpheu*  when  he  followed  Eurydice 

13* 


STORM   SIGNALS 

to  the  underworld.  It  means  what  it  will  mean  to 
me  when  I  have  found  the  one  woman — that  I'll 
work  for  her,  live  for  her,  die  for  her,  and  count  the 
future  blank  if  she  does  not  love  me  in  return." 

"  How  v/onderful !  "  she  whispered  after  a  moment 
*'  How  wonderful — to  be  loved — like  that " 

His  heart  leaped.  Some  day  he  would  make  it 
wonderful !  But  not  now.  It  was  too  soon  to  say 
the  things  he  had  to  say. 

"  The  most  wonderful  thing  right  now,"  he  said, 
M  is  that  you  are  going  to  be — my  friend." 

She  responded  radiantly.  "  It  will  be  lovely  to 
have  a — big  brother." 

"  It  will  be  lovelier  to  have — a  little  sister." 

He  held  out  his  hand  to  her,  and  she  took  it, 
laughing  lightly.  And  just  then  the  smiling  groom 
came  to  say  that  the  gentleman's  car  was  at  the 
door. 

The  rain  had  stopped,  but  storm  signals  still1 
showed  in  the  south  where  the  heavy  clouds  hung 
over  the  horizon.  Overhead  the  sun  shone,  making 
kaleidoscope  effects  of  the  spring  flowers  in  the 
checkered  beds.  Against  the  gray  wall  of  the  ter- 
raced garden  the  peach  trees  had  been  trained  in 
foreign  fashion  and  were  full  of  rosy  bloom, 

139 


GLORT  OF  YOUTH 

Bettina,  coming  out  of  the  darkened  stable,  open&j 
her  eyes  wide. 

"  What  a  different  world  it  seems,"  she  said, 
'•'  from  the  one  we  left  in  the  storm." 

Justin  helped  her  into  the  car.  "  We'll  reach  home 
before  the  next  storm  breaks,"  he  remarked,  as  he 
took  his  seat  beside  her,  "  but  there's  trouble  ahead.'* 

To  him  the  words  held  no  sinister  meaning,  nor 
to  Bettina  In  their  hearts  was  no  fear  of  the  future, 
nor  of  the  storms  which  might  some  day  wreck  their 
happiness. 


140 


CHAPTER  XI 

THE  WHITE  MAIDEN 

ETTINA,  lonely  in  her  tower,  had  often  looked 
across  enviously  to  the  brilliantly  lighted  yacht 
dub  on  the  nights  of  the  weekly  dances. 

And  now  she  was  going  to  a  yacht  club  dance 
with  Justin  in  attendance,  and  with  Sophie  for 
chaperon  ;  with  Sara  and  Doris  and  Sara's  brother 
Duke  to  be  added  to  the  party  when  they  reached 
the  club-house  pier. 

The  question  of  Bettina's  gown  had  been  a  puz- 
zling one.  Sophie  had  brought  out  everything  of 
her  own,  and  Diana,  white-faced  after  a  sleepless 
night,  had  tried  to  put  her  mind  on  the  matter. 

"  These  are  all  too  elaborate,"  she  said  ;  "  she  is 
such  a  child.  Perhaps  it  will  be  best  for  her  to  get 
some  new  things  now,  and  if  you  will  help  her  choose 
them,  it  will  be  a  great  favor  to  me,  Sophie." 

Sophie  came  over  and  kissed  her.  "  Poor  dear," 
she  murmured. 

Diana  leaned  back  against  her  friend.     "  Don't,' 
she  said  in  a  stifled  voice.     "  I  can't  bear  it" 

141 


GLORT  OF  YOUTH 

They  clung  together  for  a  moment,  then  Diana 
svent  on  steadily,  "  I  am  going  to  town  for  a  few 
days,  Sophie — I  must  get  away  for  a  bit,  and  if  you 
don't  mind,  you  can  take  Bettina  in  while  I  am  gone 
and  get  her  things.  She  insists  that  they  shall  not 
be  gifts  from  me.  She  says  that  she's  already  under 
great  obligations — and  that  her  own  little  bank  ac- 
count is  sufficient  for  her  needs.  Then,  too,  she  can 
use  all  of  her  new  things  in  her  trousseau,  and  it  does 
seem  rather  sensible,  doesn't  it  ?  " 

Diana  had  said  nothing  to  Sophie  of  the  meeting 
with  Anthony  in  the  empty  house.  It  was  an  ex- 
perience too  sacred  for  discussion.  But  Sophie 
had  guessed  much.  Anthony's  continued  absence, 
Diana's  restlessness,  her  haggard  eyes,  her  insistent 
tenderness  and  care  of  Bettina,  showed  the  sympa- 
thetic and  anxious  friend  that  something  unusual 
had  occurred,  and  that  Diana  was  fighting  a  tremen- 
dous battle  alone. 

"  Just  let  things  run  on  here,"  Diana  said,  "as  they 
always  do  You  can  take  my  place  as  Bettina's 
chaperon,  and  Delia  will  take  care  of  the  house.  I 
shan't  be  missed,  and  I  can — get  a  perspective  on  the 
situation." 

Sophie  protested.     "  It's  too  great  a  strain  on  you 
142 


THE  WHITE  MAIDEN 

— you'd  better  send  Bettina  away — she  and  I  could 
have  a  little  trip  somewhere." 

"  No,  it  is  I  who  must  go,"  Diana  insisted.  "  Bet- 
tina must  get  acquainted  with  Anthony's  friends. 
If  he  is  going  to  marry  her,  he  must  be  proud  of  her. 
You  know  that,  Sophie,"  sharply,  "  it  won't  do  for 
him  to  take  a  girl  as  the  mistress  of  his  home  whom 
nobody  ever  heard  of,  and  who  could  be  criticized." 

Sophie  rubbed  her  fingers  lightly  across  Diana's 
forehead.  "  You  think  only  of  Anthony — do  you 
never  think  of  yourself  ?'J 

Diana  stood  up.  "  It's  because  I  think  of  how 
foolish  I  have  been,"  she  said,  "  that  I  can  get  no 
rest.  I  should  never  have  come  back  to  America, 
Sophie." 

"  But,  dearest-dear,  how  could  you  know  ?  " 

"I  couldn't  know.  But,  oh,  I  wish  that  I  had 
never  come." 

Thus  it  happened  that  Sophie  and  Bettina  had 
gone  into  town,  and  the  primrose  gown  and  the  lit- 
tle serge  suit  and  the  new  hats  and  the  five  pairs  df 
shoes,  together  with  a  wonderful  creation  for  the 
yacht  club  dance,  had  been  sent  out,  and  tried  on, 
and  pronounced  perfect. 

Sophie's  taste  had  supplemented  Bettina's  meager 
143 


GLORT  OF  YOUTH 

funds.  From  her  own  store  of  exquisite  laces  and 
brocades,  of  buckles  and  bows,  she  had  added 
finishing  touches  to  frocks  which  might  otherwise 
have  been  commonplace. 

When,  therefore,  on  the  day  after  her  adventure 
with  Justin  Bettina  took  off  her  wrap  in  the  cloak 
room  of  the  yacht  club,  Sara  Duffield  drew  a  sharp 
breath  of  amazement. 

"  Will  you  look  at  that  gown,  Doris  ?  "  she  said 
to  her  placid  friend.  "  Would  any  one  but  an  artist 
have  dared  to  put  on  that  side  sash  of  rose-colored 
tulle  with  the  silver  tassel,  and  the  wide  collar  of 
silver  lace  ?  " 

Justin  Ford,  knowing  nothing  of  dressmakers,  was 
none  the  less  aware  of  the  inspired  creation. 

"  And  I  said  yesterday  that  you  could  not  wear 
pink  I  But  this  isn't  pink,  is  it  ?  It's  a  rosy  cloud  on 
a  May  morning." 

"  Do  you  really  like  it  ?  "  demanded  Bettina. 

"  I  love— it" 

Bettina  laughed  light-heartedly,  It  was  great  fun 
to  have  such  a  friendly  understanding  with  this  very 
charming  young  man.  She  wondered  how  she  had 
quite — dared.  Things  seemed  so  different  under  this 
blaze  of  light.  Had  she  really  promised  to  be  a 

144 


THE  WHITE  MAIDEN 

"little  sister"  to  this  most  distinguished  gentle- 
man? 

They  had  come  over  in  Bobbie's  motor  boat,  and 
just  before  they  reached  the  club-house  pier,  Justin 
had  said,  "  The  first  dance  is  mine,  you  know.  I'd 
like  the  second  and  the  third,  but  I  suppose  that  is 
forbidden.  But  you  must  give  me  all  you  can.  I 
feel  that  I  have  special  brotherly  privileges." 

She  danced  exquisitely,  her  little  satin-shod  feet 
slipping  silently  through  all  the  difficult  twists  and 
turns  »f  the  syncopated  modern  dances.  Justin, 
guiding  her  expertly,  knew  that  many  glances  were 
being  leveled  at  them,  knew  that  questions  were  being 
asked,  that  Bettina  was  being  weighed  in  the  social 
balance  by  the  men  and  women  who  could  make  her 
success  secure. 

When  he  gave  her  over,  presently,  to  another 
partner  he  became  aware  of  undercurrents.  The  girl 
with  whom  he  danced  shrugged  her  shoulders  when 
he  spoke  with  enthusiasm  of  Bettina's  beauty. 

"  Sara  was  telling  me,"  she  said,  "  that  she  used  to 
live  in  the  old  Lane  mansion,  and  that  Diana  Gregory 
has  taken  her  up." 

"Sara?" 

Justin  looked  across  the  room  to  where  Sara  was 

145 


GLORT  OF  YOUTH 

dancing  with  Bobbie.  And  he  made  up  his  mind 
that  before  the  evening  was  ended  he  should  have 
something  to  say  to  the  haughty  little  lady  in  blue. 

His  opportunity  came,  presently,  when  he  claimed 
Sara  for  a  Spanish  variation  of  the  ever-popular 
Boston,  in  which  his  step  particularly  suited  hers. 

"  Look  here,"  he  remarked,  as  they  swayed  to  the 
music,  "  it's  up  to  us,  Sara,  to  see  that  Bettina  makes 
a  hit" 

Sara,  tilting  her  chin,  demanded,  "  Why  ? >: 

"  Because  she  is  Diana  Gregory's  friend,  and 
Diana's  anxious  to  have  people  like  her." 

"  Why  ?  " 

He  gazed  down  at  the  irritating  profile. 

"  You  know  why,"  he  said  with  great  distinct- 
ness. "  Diana  Gregory  has  a  big  heart,  and  this 
child  has  had  a  hard  time.  Diana  wants  to  make 
her  happy " 

"  But  why  is  Diana  so  interested,  Justin  ?  There 
are  plenty  of  lonely  and  unhappy  girls.  So  why 
should  Diana  especially  pick  out  Bettina?  She's 
years  younger  than  Diana,  and  they  really  haven't 
much  in  common." 

"She's  very  sweet "     Justin  was   quite   ur* 

aware  of  the  intense  fervor  of  his  tones. 

146 


THE  WHITE  MAIDEN 

Sara's  eyes  narrowed  to  little  flashing  points,  as 
she  asked,  "Are  you  in  love  with  her?" 

Their  eyes  met.  "Oh,  Sara,  Sara,"  he  teased, 
"  do  you  expect  me  to  wear  my  heart  upon  my 
sleeve  ?  " 

"  I  expect  you  to  keep  it  from  wandering  toward 
the  daughter  of  an  Italian  singer,"  she  said,  sharply. 
"  I  always  fancied  that  you  had  rather  decided  ideas 
about  family,  Justin." 

"  If  you  mean  that  I'm  proud  of  my  Knicker- 
bocker ancestry,  I  am,"  he  told  her ;  "  just  as  you 
are  proud  of  your  Pilgrim  forefathers.  But  Bettina 
Dolce's  blood  is  bluer  than  any  that  ran  in  the  veins 
of  our  middle-class  English  and  Dutch  grandsires. 
Her  father  was  a  Venetian,  and  Bettina  has  the 
beauty  of  those  lovely  ladies  of  old  Italy." 

Sara's  beauty  was  of  an  essentially  modern  type. 
"  I  don't  see,"  she  said,  somewhat  resentfully,  "  why 
I  should  be  expected  to  fight  the  social  battles  of  a 
girl  who  is  really  nothing  to  me." 

"  Surely  not,"  easily,  "  but  I  rather  fancy  that  any 
one  who  snubs  Bettina  will  have  to  reckon  with 
Diana — and  with  me " 

Sara's  lashes  hid  her  sharp  little  eyes.  She  was 
thinking  rapidly.  She  did  not  care  to  offend  Diana — 

H7 


GLORT  OF  YOUTH 

Dut  more,  oh,  much  more  than  that,  she  did  not  care 
to  offend  Justin. 

She  capitulated  pensively.  "  Why,  Justin,  I  don't 
know  why  you  are  calling  me  to  account  in  this 
way.  I'm  sure  I'm  perfectly  willing  to  help  things 
along." 

"  Good,"  was  his  delighted  comment,  and  after 
that  he  danced  with  a  heart  as  light  as  his  heels. 

When  the  music  stopped,  Duke  Duffield  made  his 
way  toward  them.  "  Oh,  look  here,"  he  said  to  his 
sister ;  "  why  didn't  you  present  me  sooner  to  Miss 
Dolce?  Gee,  Sara,  she's  some  dream — and  her 
dance  card  was  filled  before  I  could  get  to  it." 

Justin  smiled  at  this  slangy  confirmation  of  his 
own  opinion.  He  drifted  presently  through  the 
room,  looking  for  Bettina,  and  just  as  the  music 
began  again  its  rhythmical  beat  he  saw  her. 

Far  at  the  other  end  of  the  room  she  was  dancing 
with  Anthony  Blake  1 

Bettina  had  never  been  so  happy.  Anthony's 
coming  had  pleased  her.  He  had  half  promised 
that  he  might  come,  but  there  had  been,  as  always, 
the  possibility  in  the  background  that  he  would  be 
kept  away  by  some  inconsiderate  patient.  But  now 
he  was  here,  and  she  was  to  have  her  next  dance 

148 


THE  WHITE  MAIDEN 

with  Justin.  Could  anything  be  lovelier  than  to 
spend  her  evening  thus  between  lover  and  friend, 
having  Anthony's  strength  and  kindliness  to  make 
her  feel  secure,  and  Justin's  glowing  youth  to  match 
her  own. 

She  decided  that  when  she  and  Anthony  were 
alone  she  would  tell  him  about  the  race  in  the  storm, 
and  about  her  friendly  compact  with  Justin.  She 
was  never  going  to  keep  anything  from  Anthony. 
Why,  he  was  the  best  man  in  the  whole  wide  world — 
the  very  best. 

She  looked  up  at  him  with  her  eyes  like  stars  and 
he,  meeting  that  radiant  glance,  asked,  "Are  you 
happy,  child  ?  " 

She  blushed  and  nodded.    "  Very,  very  happy  !" 

And  after  that  she  danced  in  dreamy  silence  until 
Justin  came  for  her. 

At  supper,  Anthony  claimed  Bettina  as  a  matter 
of  course,  leaving  Mrs.  Martens  to  Justin.  The  four 
of  them,  with  Bobbie  and  Doris  and  Sara  and  her 
brother  ate  at  a  little  table  on  the  club-house  porch. 
In  the  pale  light  of  the  lanterns  Bettina's  beauty 
was  more  than  ever  ethereal. 

Justin,  watching  her  with  puzzled  eyes,  took  note 

of  her  dependence  upon  Anthony,  of  her  confiding 

149 


GLORT  OF  YOUTH 

manner,  of  her  undoubted  interest  in  him  Now 
and  then  she  flashed  a  glance  at  Justin,  and  he  was 
forced  to  content  himself  with  such  occasional  crumbs 
from  the  queen's  table. 

But  he  grew  restless  and  uneasy.  Anthony  easily 
dominated  the  little  group.  It  was  in  such  moments 
that  he  was  at  his  best  His  brilliant  wit,  his  force- 
ful personality,  had  never  been  displayed  to  better 
advantage. 

Justin,  beside  him,  felt  young  and  crude.  He 
told  himself  that  he  had  nothing  to  fear.  Every- 
body knew  that  Anthony  cared  only  for  Diana. 
Yet,  even  as  he  comforted  himself,  he  saw  Bettina's 
look  of  triumphant  pride  as  Anthony  brought  a 
clever  story  to  its  climax,  and  his  heart  raged  in 
impotent  jealousy. 

They  all  went  back  together  in  Bobbie's  motor 
boat,  and  in  the  darkness  Justin  managed  to  say  to 
Bettina,  "  So  you've  deserted  me." 

"  Oh,  no,"  she  protested,  "  but  you  see  I  couldn't 
desert — Anthony." 

"  Has  he,  then,  the  first  claim  ?  "  his  voice  shook 
as  his  dull  resentment  flamed. 

She  hesitated.     "  He— has  been  so  kind— and  he's 

a,  sort  of  guardian — you  know " 

ISO 


THE  WHITE  MAIDEN 

She  dared  not  tell  him  more  than  that,  for  had  she 
not  promised  Diana  that  she  would  not?  Her 
nature  was  so  crystal  clear  that  she  would  have  been 
glad  to  set  things  straight,  to  tell  him  that  she  was 
going  to  marry  Anthony,  but  that  she  would  always 
be  his  friend.  It  was  such  a  perfect  arrangement , 
he  would  surely  understand. 

She  sighed  a  little,  wishing  that  she  had  noth- 
ing to  hide.  And  with  her  sigh  his  moodiness 
vanished. 

"If  it's  because  he's  your  guardian,  all  right — 
but  I'm  not  going  to  give  you  up  always  so  easily." 

"  Why  must  you  give  me  up  at  all  ? "  she  chal- 
lenged. 

"  Why  ?  "  he  echoed.  "  There  is  no  «  why.'  I 
shall  never  give  you  up." 

At  Diana's  door  she  said  "  Good-bye."  "  It  has 
been  the  loveliest  evening  of  my  life,"  she  told  him. 
"  I  shall  never  forget." 

Anthony  came  in,  ostensibly  to  telephone,  but 
really  to  have  a  moment  alone  with  Bettina.  Sophie, 
with  sympathetic  insight,  made  the  excuse  of  a 
letter,  which  Anthony  could  mail,  and  withdrew  to 
write  it. 

In  the  dimly-lighted  music  room,  Anthony  said, 


GLORT  OF  YOUTH 

"'You  must  forgive  me,  dear  child,  for  seeming  to 
neglect  you,  but  I've  been  such  a  busy  man." 

"  I  know."  She  looked  up  at  him.  "  But  it  seems 
nice  to  have  you  now." 

"  And  it  seems  nice  to  have  you." 

He  smiled  at  her,  but  he  did  not  touch  her.  Some- 
how since  that  night  in  the  empty  house  witL  Diana 
he  had  felt  that  there  were  things  which  must  come 
slowly.  If  he  was  to  play  the  lover  to  little  Betty,  it 
must  be  when  he  could  shut  out  from  his  heart  the 
image  of  that  pale  tall  woman  in  the  lilac-scented 
room. 

But  Bettina  missed  nothing  from  his  manner.  She 
felt  for  him  a  grateful  affection,  an  unbounded  re- 
spect, but  her  wish  for  impulsive  demonstration  was 
gone.  She  was  content  to  be  near  him,  to  know 
that  he  cared  for  her — beyond  that  she  had  no  con- 
scious desires. 

Still  smiling  at  her,  he  took  from  his  pocket  a 
little  box.  "  I  haven't  been  too  busy  to  remember 
that  I  wanted  to  give  you  this,"  he  said,  and  handed 
it  to  her. 

Set  in  a  slender  ring  were  three  great  diamonds, 
and  for  a  guard  there  was  a  little  circlet  of  sapphires. 

"  Perhaps  you  won't  care  to  wear  it  now,"  he  said 
152 


THE  WHITE  MAIDEN 

as  she  gave  a  gasp  of  delight,  "  but  I  wanted  you  to 
have  it  I  wanted  it  to  be  the  sign  and  seal  of  the 
bond  which  is  between  us." 

She  came  to  him,  then  all  gratitude  and  clinging 
sweetness,  and  put  up  her  face  to  be  kissed. 

He  touched  his  lips  to  her  forehead.  And  he  said 
he  was  glad  that  he  had  made  her  happy.  But  he 
did  not  tell  her  that  he  had  forced  himself  to  plight 
thus,  tangibly,  his  troth  to  her  that  there  might  be  no 
escape  from  the  path  of  honor  which  be  must  follow. 

Little  Bettina,  alone  that  night  in  her  room,  took 
off  the  rosy  dress  and  laid  it  on  her  bed.  Then,  en- 
veloped in  her  long  white  motor  coat,  she  went  out 
on  her  porch,  and  curled  up  in  one  of  the  big  chairs. 
Across  the  harbor  the  lights  were  out  at  the  yacht 
club.  Between  the  Neck  and  the  main  shore  little 
starlike  points  showed  where  the  lanterns  were 
swung  on  the  sleeping  boats.  It  was  long  after  mid- 
night, and  the  cold  morning  mists  were  already  com- 
ing in. 

But  she  could  not  sleep.  She  had  so  many  won- 
derful things  to  think  of.  A  few  weeks  ago  she  had 
been  a  little  lonely  child  with  no  one  who  cared 
whether  she  lived  or  died — now  she  was  rich  in  love 
and  friendship. 

if  I 


GLORT  OF  TOUTH 

She  turned  the  ring  on  her  finger.  How  strange 
it  seemed  to  think  that  in  a  few  short  months  she 
would  be — married.  That  she  would  belong  to 
Anthony  until  death  should  part  them. 

Her  breath  came  quickly.  She  stood  up,  slim  and 
white  in  her  long  coat  Then  suddenly  she  slipped 
to  her  knees. 

k'  Oh,  please,  please,"  she  prayed,  with  her  face 
upturned  to  the  waning  stars,  "  make  me  worthy  of 
feis  love.  Make  me  worthy  to  be  his  wife." 


CHAPTER  XII 

YOUTH  AND   BEAUTY 

IT  was  two  days  after  the  dance  at  the  yacht  club 
that  Diana  came  home.  She  arrived  late  and  un- 
expectedly. Bettina  had  gone  to  bed,  and  the  only 
light  which  burned  to  welcome  her  was  Sophie's,  on 
the  third  floor. 

Diana  paid  her  cabman,,  and  set  her  key  in  the 
lock,  to  be  welcomed  by  Peter  Pan's  purring  note  as 
she  opened  the  door. 

She  stooped  and  picked  up  the  big  cat  "  Dear 
Peter,"  she  whispered. 

Peter,  held  against  her  heart,  sang  his  little  song 
of  content,  and,  standing  for  a  moment  in  the  dark- 
ness, Diana  fought  for  self-control  before  she  went 
up  to  Sophie's  room. 

Mrs.  Martens,  wrapped  in  her  gray  kimono,  was 
writing  letters.  She  looked  up  with  a  glad  cry  as 
Diana  entered. 

"  Why,  Diana,"  she  said,  "  you  darling  1 " 


GLORT  OF  TOUTH 

ei  I  didn't  telegraph,"  Diana  said,  as  she  kissed  her 
friend,  "  for  there  wasn't  any  use.  I  had  my  key, 
and  I  knew  I  could  get  a  cab " 

"You're  tired,  dearest-dear."  Sophie's  worried 
eyes  noted  the  weariness  of  gesture  and  tone,  and 
the  shadows  under  Diana's  eyes  as  she  untied  her 
veil  and  took  off  her  hat 

"Yes,  I'm  tired,  dead  tired."  Diana  dropped  into 
a  chair,  and  laid  her  head  against  the  cushioned 
back. 

Sophie  bent  over  her.  "  You're  not  comfortable," 
she  said  ;  "  come  on  down  to  your  room  and  take  a 
hot  bath,  and  I'll  heat  a  cup  of  milk,  and  then  you 
can  rest  all  warm  and  comfy,  and  I'll  rub  your  head." 

"  Sophie,"  said  Diana,  suddenly,  "  I  wonder  if  I 
ever  rubbed  anybody's  head  ?  " 

"  Of  course,"  said  Sophie  ;  "  what  makes  you  say 
that?" 

"  Because  I've  been  thinking  a  lot  since  I  went  to 
town,  and  it  seerne  to  me  that  all  my  life  I've  just 
taken  and  have  not  given.  I  took  Anthony's  love — 

I've  taken  your  service "  She  held  out  her 

hand.  "  Oh,  I've  been  a  selfish  pig,  Sophie,  darling." 

Sophie  took  the  extended  hand  and  patted  it. 
"  What  a  silly  thing  to  say,"  soothingly  ;  "  you've 

156 


YOUTH  AND  BEAUTY 

always   been    everything — to  me,  Diana.      You've 
done  so  much  for  me  that  I  can  never  repay." 

"  Oh,  yes,  in  giving  big  things — but  it's  the  little 
things  that  count — like  heating  cups  of  milk  and  rub 
bing  people's  heads." 

She  said  it  whimsically,  but  there  were  tears  in  her 
eyes. 

"  You  come  right  down  and  go  to  bed,"  Sophie 
advised.  "  And  we  can  talk  all  about  it  afterward." 

Diana,  propped  up  among  her  pillows,  watched  her 
friend  as  she  flitted  like  a  gray  moth  about  the  room, 
intent  on  various  comforting  offices,  and  when  at 
last  Sophie  brought  to  her  a  steaming  cup  Diana 
said,  "  Do  you  know,  Sophie,  I've  always  thought 
myself  a  rather  superior  person." 

"  Well,  you  are,"  Sophie  agreed. 

"  I'm  not  Oh,  I've  made  up  my  mind  about 
tilings  at  last,  and  I  know  that  it  hasn't  been  Bet- 
tina's  happiness,  nor  Anthony's  happiness  that  I  have 
been  thinking  about,  but  my  own. 

"  If  I  had  not  stayed  on  after  I  found  out  the  state 
of  things  here,"  she  continued,  "Anthony  would 
have  learned  to  care  for  Betty— every  man  loves 
youth  and  beauty " 

Sophie  shook  her  head.     "  It  takes  us  women  all 

157 


GLORT  OF  TOUTH 

<jf  our  lives  to  learn  that  it  is  not  for  the  red  of  out 
!ips  or  the  blue  of  our  eyes  that  we  are  loved " 

"  Oh,  but  you  know  it  is  the  beautiful  women  who 
draw  men " 

"  But  it  is  not  the  beautiful  women  who  hold  them. 
I'll  set  any  demure  little  soul  with  a  loving  heart 
against  all  the  faultlessly-regular-splendidly-null 
persons  in  the  world  when  it  comes  to  keeping  the 
affections  of  a  husband — and  what  has  Bettina  that 
she  can  give  Anthony  to  take  the  place  of  the  things 
which  he  has  loved  in  you  ?  " 

"  She  has  youth." 

"  How  you  harp  on  that  string !  You  have  a  mind 
and  soul  which  meets  Anthony's.  And  your  beauty 
equals  hers.  You  must  not  forget  that,  Diana." 

"  I  don't  forget  it  I  know  what  I  mean  to  An- 
thony. But  Bettina  will  mean  other  things  to  him. 
And  who  shall  say  which  of  us  would  make  the  bet- 
ter wife? 

"  Oh,  I've  thought  these  things  all  out,  and  I  know 
that  I  could  never  be  happy,  Sophie,  if  my  happi- 
ness were  founded  on  the  hurt  heart  of  that  child. 
And  so—  I  am  going  away — and  let  things  go  back 
io  where  they  would  have  been  if  I  had  never 
come " 


YOUTH  AND  BEAUTT 

"  Do  you  think  they  can — ever  go  back,  Diana  ?* 

Diana,  remembering  Anthony's  face  in  the  moon- 
light, hesitated,  then  she  said,  bravely,  "  I  shall  not 
ask  myself  that  question,  Sophie.  I  shall  simply  do 
the  thing  which  will  seem  right  to  me,  and  I  am  sure 
it  is  right  for  me  to  go  away." 

"And  Bettina?" 

"She  must  stay  here  with  you  until  she  is  mar- 
ried. You  won't  mind,  will  you  ?  There  will  b& 
plenty  of  things  to  do.  You  can  help  with  her  wed- 
ding outfit  And  after  they  are — married,  you  and 
I  will  go  back — to  Berlin.  No,  we  won't,  Sophie. 
We'll  go  to  the  desert,  and  down  the  Nile,  and  we'll 
go  to  Japan,  and  see  Fujiyama ;  and  we'll  visit  the 
temples  in  China,  and  we'll  find  out  from  some  of 
those  old  Buddhists  how  they  acquire — peace " 

"  We  will  go  to  the  ends  of  the  earth  if  you  wish 
— but  there's  only  one  place  that  I  shall  ask  you  to 
take  me,  Diana." 

"Where,  dear  heart?8' 

"  To  that  quiet  spot  over  there  in  Germany,  where 
the  big  cross  stands  up  against  the  sky " 

"  Sophie — of  course  you  shall  go  there,  dear." 

Mrs.  Martens  knelt  by  the  bed.  "  I've  been  think- 
ing of  my  lover,  too,  while  you've  been  away.  We 

159 


have  each  lost  the  man  who  made  the  world  a  won- 
derful place — henceforth  you  and  I  must  live  among 
the  shadows — but  because  we  have  each  other,  it 
shall  not  be  quite  so  hard." 

It  was  a  long  time  before  they  came  back  to  the 
question  of  Diana's  departure. 

"  But  what  excuse  can  you  give  for  going  now, 
Diana?" 

"  My  health,"  said  Diana,  promptly,,  "  Every- 
body  knows  that  I  first  went  to  Germany  for  the 
baths,  and  I  can  say  what  is  true, — that  the  damp- 
ness  here  disagrees  with  me,  with  my  throat/' 

"  But  where  will  you  go  ?  " 

"  To  the  mountains ;  oh,  Sophie,  I  shall  lift  up  my 
eyes  to  the  hills,  and  hope  for  strength " 

Out  of  the  ensuing  silence  came  the  sound  of  a 
iittle  tap  at  the  door. 

"  Is  Diana  there  ? "  asked  Bettina  on  the  other 
side.  "  I  thought  I  heard  her  voice." 

As  Bettina  came  in,  the  radiance  of  youth  shone 
from  within  and  round  about  her.  She  kissed  Diana 
i:  Oh,  so  many  things  have  happened,"  rapturously, 
<:  since  you  went  away.  Do  you  want  me  to  tell  you 
about  them  ?  " 

"  You  blessed  baby,"  said  Diana,  and  it  seemed  tc 
160 


TOUT  PI  AND  BEAUTT 

Sophie  that  in  her  voice  was  a  note  of  sincere  affeo 
tioa 

Bettina  curled  herself  up  on  the  foot  of  Diana's 
bed.  "  Well,  in  the  first  place,"  she  said,  "  Anthony 
gave  me  a  ring — a  lovely  ring,  and  a  little  guard  to 
wear  with  it" 

Diana  did  not  flinch.  "And  why  aren't  you  wear- 
ing your  lovely  ring,"  she  asked,  "  for  all  the  world 
to  see?" 

"  Oh,  but  you  said  I  mustn't,"  Bettina  told  her, 
"  and  so  I  keep  it  here." 

She  tugged  at  a  slender  chain  which  hung  around 
her  neck,  and  brought  forth  from  beneath  the  em- 
broidered thinness  of  her  gown  the  two  rings, 
which  gave  put  flashing  lights  as  she  bent  toward 
Diana. 

Diana  did  not  touch  them.  "  They're  lovely/'  she 
said,  steadily  ;  "  aren't  they,  Sophie  ?  " 

"  I'm  glad  he  didn't  give  me  pearls,"  Bettina  went 
on,  as  Mrs.  Martens  exclaimed  at  their  beauty,  "  be- 
cause pearls  mean  tears." 

"  I've  always  worn  pearls,"  said  Diana. 

"  Oh,  but  not  as  love  gifts,"  said  Bettina,  quickly, 
"  It's  only  when  your  lover  gives  you  a  pearl  that 
you  weep — my  Another's  gift  from  my  father  was  a 


GLORT  OF  TOUTH 

great  pearl — and  when — he  went  away — she  dropped 
it — into  the  sea. 

"  And  I  didn't  blame  her."  Bettina  was  swinging 
her  own  rings  back  and  forth,  and  they  gave  out  a 
silvery  tinkle  like  a  chime  of  fairy  bells.  "  I  didn't 
blame  her,  although  the  pearl  was  worth  a  great 
deal  of  money  and  we  were  poor.  I  shouldn't  want 
a  ring  after  a  man  had  ceased  to  love  me,  would 
you?" 

"  Of  course  not,"  said  Diana,  "  and  now — tell  me, 
what  were  the  other  nice  things  which  happened 
while  I  was  away  ?  " 

"  Oh,"  Bettina  laughed,  "  I  went  fishing  with  Cap- 
tain Stubbs  and  Miss  Matthews,  and  Justin " 

"Justin?" 

"  Yes.  Justin  Ford.  He  invited  himself.  I  told 
Mrs.  Martens  when  I  came  home  that  I  tried  not  to 

have  him  go,  but  he  would,  and  it  stormed Oh, 

well,  we  had  a  lovely  time." 

Somehow  she  had  found  it  hard  to  tell  Mrs, 
Martens,  as  she  was  finding  it  hard  to  tell  Diana, 
just  what  had  made  the  day  so  lovely.  And  as  foi 
her  compact  of  friendship,  she  would  tell  Anthony 
but  no  other. 

'•  Then  there  was  the  yacht  club  lance,"  she  coi* 


TOUTH  AND  BEAUTY 

tinned,  "  and  oh,  Diana,  you  should  have  seen  my 
gown — it  was  a  dream." 

Sophie  confirmed  her  verdict.  "  She  was  lovely  in 
it,  Diana,"  she  said,  "  and  everybody  is  talking  of 
the  success  she  made." 

"  And  Anthony  came,"  said  Bettina,  "  and  when 
we  reached  home  he  gave  me  the  ring,  and  yester- 
day I  had  a  long  ride  with  him  ;  oh,  yes,  and  the  day 
before,  Justin  and  Sara  and  Doris  and  I  had  lunch 
on  Bobbie's  boat." 

"  I  thought  Bobbie's  boat  was  in  the  yard  for  re- 
pairs?" 

"  It  is,"  said  Bettina,  "  and  that's  the  fun  of  it. 
He's  living  on  board,  and  yesterday  he  and  Justin 
looked  up  and  saw  me  on  the  porch,  and  they  in- 
sisted on  having  a  lunch  party,  and  Bobbie  made 
his  man  get  up  a  perfectly  wonderful  little  lunch,  and 
he  telephoned  for  the  other  girls,  and  Duke,  and  we 
climbed  the  ladder  and  ate  up  there  in  the  air,  and 
Sophie  chaperoned  us  from  your  front  porch." 

"  They  wanted  me  to  climb  the  ladder  too,"  said 
Sophie,  "  but  I  told  them  I  would  be  a  little  angel  up 
aloft,  and  play  propriety  at  a  safe  distance.  It's  a 
good  thing  the  yacht  yard  happens  to  be  at  the  foot 
of  your  rocks,  Diana,  or  I'm  afraid  Bettina  would 

163 


GLORT  OF  YOUTH 

have  gone  unchaperoned.  It's  a  dizzy  height  up 
that  ladder." 

"  And  Bobbie  sent  things  up  to  her  in  a  basket," 
Bettina  related ;  "  we  let  down  a  piece  of  hammock 
rope,  and  we  tied  the  basket  to  it." 

Diana,  listening  to  the  light  chatter,  felt  set  apart 
by  the  tragedy  of  her  own  unhappiness.  Once  she 
would  have  enjoyed  an  escapade  like  the  lunch 
party ;  now  she  was  glad  that  she  could  go  away — 
and  leave  it  all  behind  her  and  perhaps — forget. 

"  Bobbie  is  such  a  funny  fellow  " — Bettina  was  still 
swinging  the  tinkling  rings — "  and  he's  awfully  in 
love  with  Doris.  And  Doris  worships  him,  and  it 
makes  Sara  furious." 

"  But,  my  dear,  Sara  isn't  the  least  bit  in  love  with 
Bobbie." 

"  I  know,  but  she  -Hsuiks  Doris  is  so  silly  to  let 
Bobbie  see — but  that's  just  what  Bobbie  adores  in 
her.  He  likes  to  be  worshiped,  and  he's  posi- 
tively puffed  up  with  pride  like  a  pouter  pigeon 
because  he's  going  to  marry  Doris." 

"  Then  it's  settled  ?  "  Diana  asked 

"  Yes.  It  seems  he  proposed  on  the  night  of  the 
yacht  club  dance,  and  yesterday  at  lunch  Bobbie 
announced  it,  and  he  blushed  and  Doris  blushed— 

164 


YOUTH  AND  BEAUTY 

but  really  it  was  awfully  sweet,  Diana — they  are  so 
happy. 

"At  first  I  thought  Bobbie  liked  Sara,"  Bettina 
stated,  later. 

"  Oh,  no."  Diana  laughed.  "  It's  Justin,  you 
know,  with  Sara." 

The  flashing  rings  tinkled,  tinkled.  Bettina's 
eyes  were  on  them. 

"  Oh,  are  they — engaged  ?  " 

"  Oh,  no  ;  it's  just  a  friendship,  I  fancy." 

So  ?  Other  girls  were  his  friends  1  Bettina's  head 
went  up,  and  she  slipped  the  rings  back  in  their 
hiding  place. 

"They've  always  known  each  other,"  Diana  ex- 
plained. "  You  see  Sara  was  a  sharp-tongued  little 
girl,  and  Justin  could  get  along  with  her  better  than 
the  other  boys  because  of  his  easy-going  ways. 
And  he  gets  along  with  her  now,  but  usually  it  is  a 
sort  of  armed  truce." 

Bettina  felt  better,  but  needing  further  assurance, 
she  ventured,  "  I  suppose  he  has  a  sort  of  brotherly 
feeling  for  her." 

It  was  Sophie  who  answered  that  question. 

"  No,  he  hasn't.  Justin  adores  the  memory  of  his 
own  little  sister.  She  was  a  dear  child  and  lame, 

165 


GLORT  OF  TOUTH 

And  she  was  about  as  like  Sara,  I  imagine,  as 
a  white  dove  is  like  a  peacock.  Justin  has  often 
told  me  that  when  he  marries  he  wants  to  find  a 
woman  to  whom  he  can  tell  his  dreams  as  he  told 
them  to  his  little  sister — it  is  perhaps  because  he  has 
failed  to  find  such  a  woman  that  he  is  unmarried." 

It  seemed  to  Bettina,  suddenly,  that  all  the  stars 
sang  1  "  Oh,  it's  such  a  lovely  world  " — she  was  all 
aglow — "  and  you've  made  it  lovely  for  me,  Diana, 
by  having  me  here,  and  doing  wonderful  things 
for  me." 

"  I  want  you  to  stay  for  a  long  time,  dear,  until 
you  are  married.  But  you'll  forgive  me  if  I  go 
away  and  leave  you  alone  with  Sophie  for  a  while  ?  " 

"  Oh,  must  you  go  away  again  ?" 

"  Yes.  I'm  not  well.  This  air  doesn't  agree  with — 
my  throat,"  Diana  stammered,  not  caring  to  meet 
the  clear  eyes. 

"Oh,  but  I'm  afraid  that  I'm  terribly  in  the 
way,"  Bettina  said  distressfully.  "  You'll  want  Mrs. 
Martens  to  go  with  you.  You  mustn't  have  her 
stay  on  my  account.  I  can  go  back  to  my  rooms 
with  Miss  Matthews.  Really  I  can— I  shouldn't 
mind." 

"My  dear,  I  should  mind  very  much."     Diana 
166 


TOUTH  AND  BEAUTY 

reached  out  her  hand  to  her.  "  Don't  make  me 
unhappy  by  taking  it  that  way — I  want  you  here." 

"  But  you've  done  enough  for  me,  putting  yourself 
out  in  this  way " 

"  I  have  done  only  the  things  that  I  wanted  to  do. 
And  now  don't  make  me  unhappy  by  suggesting 
that  you  won't  keep  poor  Sophie  company.  What 
would  she  do  without  you  ?  " 

Bettina  looked  from  one  to  the  other.  "Are  you 
very  sure  you  shouldn't  go  away  together,  if  it 
weren't  for  me  ?  " 

"  Very  sure — I  should  bore  her  terribly." 

They  all  laughed,  and  Bettina  said,  "  Of  course  I 
know  you're  doing  it  all  for  my  sake " 

"  And  for  Anthony,"  said  Diana,  softly ;  "  for  the 
sake  of  my  old  friend  Anthony." 

"  How  wonderful  your  friendship  is,"  said  Bettina, 
soWy.  "  It  makes  me  believe  in  all  friendship, 
Diana." 

A  little  later  she  slid  down  from  the  bed.  "  You're 
tired  and  Fm  keeping  you  up.  I'll  run  along." 

But  Diana  held  her  for  a  moment. 

"  Anthony  will  soon  want  to  be  going  into  the  big 
house— when  will  you  be  ready,  Bettina  ?  '* 

"Oh,   not  yet,"  said  Bettina,  breathlessly,   "not 
167 


GLORT  OF  TOUTH 

yet  I'd  rather  wait  Don't  you  think  it  will  be 
best  to  wait  ?  " 

"Why?" 

"  Oh/'  ner  cheeks  flamed,  t:  I  don't  know  why— - 
only  I  don't  want  to  get  married — for  a  long  time, 
Diana." 

Diana  looked  at  her  with  puzzled  eyes.  There 
was  some  change  in  the  child  which  she  could  not 
fathom.  What  had  happened  to  little  Bettina  in  the 
short  time  since  she  had  been  away?  She  would 
ask  Sophie — she  would  ask — Anthony. 

In  the  adjoining  room  the  telephone  rang. 
Sophie,  going  to  answer  it,  came  back  with  the  an- 
nouncement, "It's  Anthony.  He  wanted  to  know 
if  you  had  returned.  He  needs  you  at  the  hospital. 
That  little  girl  with  the  appendicitis  is  very  much 
worse.  But  I  told  him  that  you  had  just  reached 
home,  and  that  you  were  so  tired,  and  it  was  so 
late " 

"Sophie,  how  could  you?  Tell  him  I'll  come. 
Ask  him  to  send  his  car  forme.  Bettina,  dear, 
hand  me  my  slippers,  and  help  me  with  iny 
hair." 

Bettina  was  shivering  and  white.     "  Is  it  the  girt 

Anthony  operated  on  ?  "  she  asked. 

1 68 


TOUTH  AND  BEAUTT 

"  Yes.  Sophie,  I'll  wear  the  white  serge.  It's  the 
easiest  to  get  into,  and  my  long  coat " 

Bettina's  shaking  voice  went  on :  "  Wouldn't  it 
be — dreadful — if  anything  happened?  Wouldn't  it 
be  dreadful — if  she  should  die  ?  " 

Sophie  laid  her  hand  on  the  girl's  shoulder. 
"  Help  Diana  now,  dear,"  she  advised ;  "  we'll  talk- 
about  it  afterward." 


CHAPTER  XIII 

HER  LETTER  TO  ANTHONY 

DIANA  never  forgot  that  ride  in  the  dark  to 
Harbor  Light  It  was  a  clear  night,  with  the 
sea  like  a  sheet  of  silver  under  the  moon.  The  big 
building,  which  loomed  up,  at  last,  before  her, 
seemed,  with  its  yellow-lighted  windows,  like  some 
monster  of  giant  size,  gazing  wide-eyed  upon  the 
waters. 

The  gardens,  through  which  she  passed,  were 
heavy  with  the  scent  of  hyacinths  ;  the  slight  wash 
of  the  waves  on  the  beach  only  emphasized  the  still- 
ness. 

As  she  drove  up  to  the  doorway,  two  night  nurses 
flitted  through  the  corridor,  ghost-like  in  their  white 
uniforms. 

Then  came  Anthony.  His  face  looked  worn  and 
worried. 

"  We  couldn't  save  her,  Diana,"  he  said,  tensely. 

"  Oh,  the  poor  little  thing !  " 

"  We  made  a  fight  for  it.  I  sent  for  you  because 
ft  she  roused  I  wanted  you  to  be  there." 


"  If  you  had  telephoned  sooner." 

"  I  could  not     The  change  was  very  sudden.' 
He  flung  himself  into  a  chair.     "  Oh,  what  is  all  my 
skill  worth,  Diana,  when  I  couldn't  save  that  child  ? >? 

She  had  seen  him  in  such  moods  before,  when  he 
had  felt  powerless  against  all  the  opposing  forces  of 
disease  and  death. 

But  she  did  not  care  that  others  should  see  him. 
it  was  enough  that  she  should  know  that  this  great 
doctor  Anthony  had  his  weaknesses.  The  rest  of 
the  world  should  not  know  it 

"  Come  out  into  the  garden,"  she  coaxed ;  "  the 
air  will  do  you  good." 

As  they  walked  up  and  down  the  garden  paths  he 
gave  her  more  definite  details.  "  She  did  not  know 
that  she  was  going.  There  was  no  reason  to  trouble 
her  gentle  soul  with  fears.  And  so,  at  last,  when  she 
drifted  off  into  the  silence,  she  was  smiling." 

"  And  I  am  sure  that  she  was  still  smiling  when  on 
the  other  side  she  found  Love  waiting." 

"  How  wonderfully  you  put  it,  Di." 

"It  is  not  because  I  put  it  that  way  ;  it  is  because 
it  is  wonderful.  Do  you  know,  Anthony,  that  has 
always  been  my  idea  of  heaven — as  a  place  where 
Infinite  Love  waits.  If  that  little  child  had  lived  she 

171 


GLORT  OF  YOUTH 

would  have  faced  a  future  of  loneliness — now  she 
will  never  be  lonely — never  sick — never  unhappy." 

"  But  she  wanted  to  live." 

"  But  she  didn't  know  life,  Anthony — as  some  of 
us  know  it,  as  a  place  of  unfulfilled  dreams " 

They  had  reached  the  beach,  and  the  track  of  the 
moon  spread  out  before  them,  ending  only  at  the 
horizon. 

"  She  followed  the  path  o'  the  moon,"  said  Diana, 
softly,  "  a  little  white  soul  in  a  silver  boat  Death  is 
a  great  adventure,  Anthony,," 

"  Sometimes  I  feel  as  if  I  were  merely  a  long- 
shoreman, who  helps  to  load  the  boats  as  they  start 
on  that  great  adventure " 

"  What  do  you  mean  ?" 

"  Oh,  we  doctors  see  so  much  of  pain  which  we 
cannot  ease,  so  much  misery  which  we  cannot  pre- 
vent. We  see  the  innocent  suffering  for  the  guilty 
— the  weak  bearing  the  burdens  which  belong  to  the 
strong — and  even  if  we  try  our  hardest  we  can't 
change  these  things — and  the  boats  still  go  sailing 
out  to  the  Unknown " 

"  Anthony,  I  wish  I  might  be  sure  of  one  thing * 

"  What,  dear  girl ?  » 

*  That    you   would   never  change   your   present 

372 


HER  LETTER  TO  ANTHONY 

point  of  view.  So  many  doctors  lose  faith  in  human 
nature  because  they  see  only  the  diseased  side,  and 
their  vision  becomes  distorted.  And,  losing  their 
faith  in  man,  they  lose  faith  in  God.  The  thing 
which  has  always  made  you,  in  my  eyes,  a  great 
man  as  well  as  a  great  surgeon  has  been  the  fact  that 
you  have  seemed  to  understand  that  you  were  work- 
ing with  Infinite  Love  toward  the  completion  of  a 
perfect  plan ;  you  have  seemed  to  understand  that 
life  is  good  as  long  as  it  is  lived  wisely  and  well ', 
that  death  is  good  when  it  ends  suffering  and  sor- 
row- These  things  you  have  seen  and  known — I 
want  you  always  to  see  and  know  them." 

"  If  any  one  could  make  me  see  and  know  them  it 
is  you,  Diana." 

They  were  silent  after  that,  and  presently  she  said 
that  she  must  go. 

Anthony  took  her  home  himself  in  his  little  car, 
and  when  at  last  they  reached  her  door  he  said, 
gratefully :  "  What  should  I  do  without  your  friend- 
ship ?  At  least  I  have  that,  Diana." 

She  hesitated.  "  It  must  be  a  long  distance 
friendship,  Anthony." 

"  What  do  you  mean  ?  " 

"  1  am  going  away." 


GLORT  OF  YOUTH 

*'<Oh,  why  should  you?  We  are  self-controlled 
cian  and  woman,  not  impulsive  boy  and  girl.  We 
have  set  our  feet  on  a  hard  path.  Why  shouldn't  we 
cheer  each  other  along  the  way  ?  " 

"Fin  afraid  it  wouldn't  be  fair — to  Bettina." 

"  Why  not  ?  My  friendship  for  you  need  deprive 
her  of  nothing." 

"  I  must  think  it  over." 

"  Don't  think.  Don't  analyze  at  all.  Just  stay/* 
A  grave  smile  lighted  his  face.  "  I'm  not  mak- 
ing this  as  a  selfish  proposition,  Diana.  1  shan't 
expect  to  absorb  you,  to  take  you  away  from 
other  friendships.  But  I  want  you  to  be  near  me  at 
such  times  as  this ;  when  my  world  was  without  a 
ray  of  light,  you  illumined  it  with  your  friendly 
taper/' 

Diana  climbed  the  steps  in  an  uplifted  mood. 
This,  then,  was  the  solution  of  the  difficulty.  She 
had  been  making  high  tragedy  of  the  situation  when 
it  might  be  solved  sensibly.  She  remembered  a 
quotation  which  she  had  copied  in  her  school  note- 
book :  "  My  friend  is  one  with  whom  I  can  associate 
my  choicest  thought"  Her  friendship  with  Anthony 
could  go  on  as  before.  She  could  be  an  inspirational 
force  in  his  life.  Had  she  the  right  to  refuse  ? 

174 


HER  LETTER  TO  ANTHONY 

She  found  Bettina  and  Sophie  sitting  up  for  her. 

"  Oh,  you're  back  so  soon,"  Bettina  said.  "  Is  she 
better  ?  Is  that  little  girl  better  ?  " 

Diana  returned  to  realities  with  a  shock.  How 
selfish  she  had  been !  She  had  almost  forgotten 
that  poor  little  soul  at  the  hospital. 

"  No,  she  isn't  better."  She  shrank  from  voicing 
the  truth.  "They  couldn't  save  her,  and  before  I 
reached  there  she  was — gone.51 

"  Dead  !  "  Bettina  shuddered.  "  Oh,  I  think  such 
things  are  dreadful ;  I  don't  see  how  Anthony  stands 
it" 

"It  has  made  him  very  miserable,"  Diana  told 
her ;  "  he  hates  to  lose  a  case." 

"  Then  why  does  he  do  it  ?  "  Bettina  demanded. 
"  Why  doesn't  he  give  up  his  surgery  ?  He  has 
enough  to  do  with  his  freaks  at  the  sanatorium,  and 
his  sick  people  who  need  medicine." 

"  Would  you  have  a  man  give  up  a  thing  which 
he  can  do  better  than  other  men  ?  :i 

Sophie,  looking  on,  wondered  if  there  had  ever 
been  a  greater  contrast  than  these  two  women  who 
faced  each  other  in  the  rose-colored  room.  Diana,, 
tall  and  pale,  with  wisps  of  hair  flying  a  bit  untidily 
from  beneath  her  soft  hat,  yet  still  beautiful  and  with 

175 


GLORT  OF  TOUTH 

ihe  light  of  high  resolve  shining  in  her  steady  eyes 
Bettina,  a  little  slender  slip  of  a  child,  her  fair  shin- 
ing braids   falling  below  her   knees,  her  eyes  de- 
manding why  men  and  women  should  be  dedicated 
to  hardness. 

"  I  have  been  telling  Bettina,  Mrs.  Martens  inter- 
posed, gently,  "  that  she  will  understand  some  day 
what  such  a  man  means  to  the  world." 

For  once  in  her  life  Diana,  tired  Diana,  lost 
patience.  "  She  ought  to  know  what  suet1  a  man 
means,"  she  said. 

Bettina  put  her  hands  before  her  face  and  stood 
very  still. 

"  Oh,  dear  child,"  said  Diana,  remorsefully,  "  I 
shouldn't  have  said  such  a  thing  to  you.  I  didn't 
mean  it." 

Bettina's  hands  dropped  straight  at  her  sides, 
Her  blue  eyes  were  misty.  "  But  it's  true,"  she 
said.  "  I'm  afraid — I'm  afraid  I'm  not  the  wife  for 
Anthony." 

Never  had  there  been  a  truer  saying.  Yet  the  two 
nlder  women  stood  abashed  before  the  hurt  look  on 
the  little  white  face. 

"  He  has  always  seemed  to  me  to  be  the  noblest 
man/'  Bettina  went  on.  "  I  don't  think  I  have  ever 

176 


HER  LETTER   TO  ANTHONY 

felt  that  he  was  anything  but  great.  You  people 
who  have  always  had  everything,  can't  understand 
what  he  seemed  to  me  when  he  used  to  come  when 
mother  was  ill.  You  can't  understand  what  it  meant 
when  he  came  to  me  when  I  was  almost  dead  with 
loneliness,  and  told  me  that  he  wanted  to  marry  me 
— you  can't  understand  how  every  night — I  pray- 
on  my  knees,  that  I'll  be  good  enough  for  him — you 
can't  understand  how  grateful  I  am — and  how  I  try 
to  appreciate  his  work ;  but  I'm  made  that  way — to 

hate  pain.     I  hate  to  know  about  it — to  see  it " 

Again  she  shuddered. 

Diana  drew  her  close.  "  Oh,  you  poor  little  thing,'* 
she  said,  "  you  poor  little  thing." 

When  the  dawn,  not  many  hours  later,  peeped 
into  the  three  rooms,  it  showed,  in  one,  Sophie 
asleep  beneath  the  picture  of  her  lost  lover.  In  an- 
other Bettina,  asleep,  with  tears  still  on  her  lashes, 
and  with  the  flashing  rings  rising  and  falling  above 
her  heart.  In  the  third  room  it  showed  Diana, 
awakej  after  hours  of  weariness — writing  a  letter  to 
Anthony. 

When  Anthony  had  read  that  letter,  he  left  the  sana 
torium  and  took  a  path  which  led  him  to  the  hills 
and  into  the  hemlock  forest     The  walk  up  the  hills 


GLORT  OF  YOUTH 

was  long,  and  the  sun  was  hot,  so  that  when  he 
reached  the  depths  of  the  wood  he  threw  himself 
down  with  a  grateful  sense  of  the  stillness  which 
could  not  be  disturbed  by  telephone  or  tap  at  the 
door.  For  a  little  while  he  lay  with  his  eyes  shut, 
steeping  himself  in  that  blessed  silence. 

When  at  last  he  sat  up,  he  took  from  his  pocket 
Diana's  letter,  and  read  it  again,  passing  his  hand 
now  and  then  nervously  through  his  hair,  until  it 
stood  up  like  the  ruffled  plumage  of  an  eagle. 

"  DEAR  ANTHONY  : — 

"  It  will  be  easier  for  me  to  talk  with  you  in 
this  way  than  face  to  face.  When  you  are  with  me, 
my  point  of  view  seems  to  get  mixed  up  with  your 
point  of  view,  and  before  I  know  it,  I  find  myself 
making  promises  which  I  cannot  keep,  as  to-night, 
when  I  almost  said  I  would  stay — and  be  your 
friend. 

"  I  have  always  been  your  friend,  Anthony. 
Haven't  I  ?  Even  when  I  was  a  little  girl,  and  you 
were  a  big  boy,  you  seemed  to  find  something  in 
me  which  made  it  worth  while  for  you  to  leave  the 
other  big  boys  and  stay  with  me  and  talk  about  my 
books.  Will  I  ever  forget  how  you  read  some  of 
Ihem  aloud  to  me  ?  I  never  open  now  my  thumbed 
little  copy  of  '  Cranford  '  without  hearing  your  laugh- 
ing voice  stumbling  over  the  mincing  phrases,  and 
as  for  '  Little  Women,'  I  believe  that  I  worshiped 
in  you  the  personification  of  '  Laurie.' 

1=78 


'i  SHOULDN'T  HAVE  SAID  SUCH  A  THING' 


HER  LETTER  TO  ANTHONT 

(i  But  those  were  not  the  best  times,  Anthony. 
The  best  were  when  it  was  too  dark  to  read,  and  I 
would  curl  up  on  the  big  bench  by  the  side  of  the 
fire,  and  you  would  lie  at  full  length  on  the  hearth- 
rug, and  the  wind  would  blow  and  the  waves  would 
boom,  and  you  would  weave  tales  for  me  out  of  youi 
wonderful  wealth  of  boyish  dreams. 

"  Blessed  memories !  But  even  then  I  believe  I 
resented  your  masterfulness  a  bit,  Anthony.  There 
was  that  time  when  you  told  me  that  I  must  get  my 
lessons  before  you  would  finish  the  story  which  was 
so  near  the  end.  And  I  cried  and  coaxed,  but  you 
stood  firm — and  I  respected  you  for  it,  and  hated  you 
and  loved  you  in  one  breath. 

"  Oh,  my  big  boy  Anthony  !  Shall  I  ever  forget 
you,  with  your  brown  lock  over  your  blue  eyes,  your 
unswerving  honesty  of  purpose,  your  high  ideals. 
When  you  came  home  from  college,  and  I  had  just 
put  up  my  hair,  and  lengthened  my  dresses,  you 
started  to  kiss  me,  then  stopped.  '  I  thought  I 
could,'  you  said,  with  such  a  funny  note  of  surprise 
in  your  voice,  '  but  there's  something  about  you  that 
sort  of — holds  me  off,  Di.' 

"  I  think  then  that  I  began  to  know  my  power 
over  you.  And  how  I  have  used  it,  Anthony !  I 
have  kept  you  single  and  alone  all  these  years,  be- 
cause something  in  me  would  not  yield  to  your  kind 
of  wooing. 

"  If  only  you  could  have  been  a  cave  man  and 
could  have  carried  me  off  !  So  many  women  wish 
that  of  men,  especially  proud  women.  It  isn't  that 
we  admire  brutality,  but  we  want  to  have  all  of  our 
little  feminine  doubts  and  fears  overcome  by  the 
man's  decisive  action.  And  you  made  the  mistake 


GLORT  OF  TOUTH 

of  waiting  patiently,  asking  me  now  and  then,  '  Will 
you  ? '  instead  of  saying,  '  You  must.' 

"  Yet  while  you  could  not  win  me,  in  other  ways 
you  dominated  me.  Do  you  remember  the  holidays 
when  I  came  home  from  boarding-school,  and  you 
were  interne  at  a  hospital  ?  You  asked  me  to  go  to 
the  theater  with  you,  and  at  the  last  moment  you 
were  called  to  the  operating  room  to  help  one  of  the 
surgeons.  You  telephoned  that  you'd  send  a  car- 
riage for  me  and  my  chaperon,  but  that  you  couldn't 
go  ; — and  I  wouldn't  go  either,  but  stayed  at  home 
and  sulked,  and  looked  at  myself  in  the  glass,  now 
and  then,  to  mourn  over  the  fact  that  you  couldn't 
see  me  in  my  pink  organdie  with  the  rosebuds. 

"  But  you  wouldn't  even  apologize  for  what  I 
called  your  neglect.  I  said  I  should  never  go  with 
you.  You  said  it  wasn't  neglect,  and  that  I  should 
go.  And  go  I  did,  finally,  as  meekly  as  possible, 
and  I  wore  the  pink  organdie  and  had  a  lovely  time, 

"  It's  the  memory  of  that  night  when  you  couldn't 
fit  your  plans  to  mine  which  has  made  me  write  this 
letter.  When  I  came  home  from  Harbor  Light  I 
found  Bettina  waiting  up  for  me,  and  she  broke 
down  as  the  depressing  realities  of  your  work  were 
forced  upon  her.  I  was  very  toploftical,  Anthony — 
and  was  prepared  to  read  her  a  sermon  on  the  duties 
of  a  doctor's  wife,  when  all  at  once  I  had  a  vision  of 
myself  in  that  rosebud  organdie.  I  hated  your  work 
then,  and  I  felt  that  you  lacked  something  of  devo- 
tion to  me,  to  let  it  keep  you  from  me. 

"  But  later  I  felt  differently.  The  world  began  to 
call  you  a  great  man — and  I  began  to  see  with 
clearer  eyes  what  you  were  doing  for  the  world. 
And  so  I  helped  you  at  Harbor  Light,  and  saw  you 

ito 


HER  LETTER  TO  ANT  HO  NT 

there  at  your  best — with  your  forceful  control  of  all 
those  helpless  people,  with  your  steadiness  of  hand 
and  eye,  a  king  who  ruled  by  virtue  of  his  power 
over  life  and  death. 

"  It  was  in  those  days,  I  think,  that  I  began  to 
worship  you.  But  I  never  called  my  worship  love. 
I  wanted  to  be  Me,  Myself,  and  somehow  I  felt  that 
when  I  was  once  promised  to  you  I  should  have  no 
separate  identity.  It  was  the  rebellion  of  a  strong 
personality  against  a  stronger  one.  I  was  not  wise 
enough  to  see  that  you  who  protected  others  from 
the  storms  of  life  might  want  some  little  haven  of 
your  own — a  haven  which  would  be — Home. 

"  But  because  you  failed  to  be  masterful  in  the 
one  way  which  would  have  won  me,  because  you 
said,  always,  '  Will  you  ? '  instead  of,  '  Come — let 
there  be  no  more  of  this  between  you  and  me,  Diana/ 
I  went  away,  not  understanding  you,  not  under- 
standing myself. 

"  And  over  there  with  Sophie,  I  met  Van  Rosen. 
As  I  look  back  upon  it,  I  do  not  wonder  that  he 
charmed  me.  He  was  different  from  our  American 
men,  a  lover  of  pleasure.  He  typified  the  spirit  of 
joy  to  me — there  was  never  a  moment  when  he  had 
not  some  vivid  plan  for  me.  We  did  things  of 
which  I  had  always  dreamed. 

"  He  gave  a  house  party  for  me  in  his  ancestral 
castle  on  the  Rhine.  And  he  proposed  to  me  in  an 
ancient  chapel  with  the  moonlight  making  the  effigies 
of  his  old  ancestors  seem  like  living  knights  in 
golden  armor. 

"  It  was  all  so  picturesque  that  practical  America 
— that  you,  oh,  I  must  confess  it,  Anthony, — seemed 
miles  away.  It  seemed  to  me  that  in  my  own  coun- 

181 


GLORT  OF  YOUTH 

try  we  lived  dreary  lives  in  a  workaday  atmosphere. 
It  was  only  in  that  castle  on  the  Rhine  that  there 
were  people  who  knew  how  to  play.  So  I  became 
engaged,  and  through  all  those  months,  Van  Rosen 
and  I  played  together. 

"  But  I  grew  so  tired  of  it,  so  deadly  tired  of  it  1 
Life  seemed  to  have  no  meaning.  And  after  a  time 
I  grew  a  little  afraid.  Van  Rosen  was  different.  I 
can't  define  exactly  where  the  difference  lay.  But 
between  us  was  the  barrier  of  centuries  of  opposing 
traditions.  I  began  to  feel  that  as  his  wife  I  should 
be  a  Princess  in  name,  but  a  slave  in  fact.  Always 
laughing,  always  seeming  to  dance  in  the  sunshine, 
he  had  a  hardness  which  nothing  could  soften.  I 
saw  him  now  and  then  with  those  whom  he  con- 
sidered his  inferiors.  I  saw  his  treatment  of  his 
servants,  his  horses,  his  dogs.  I  heard  him  speak 
once  to  an  old  and  dependent  aunt,  at  another  time  to 
a  young  governess — and  my  cheeks  burned — and  I 
was  afraid. 

"  It  came  back  to  me  then  how  you  had  always 
treated  those  who  were  weaker  than  yourself.  You 
had  always  been  a  champion  of  old  ladies  and  chil- 
dren. Every  animal,  from  Peter  Pan  to  your  old  fat 
horse — that  old  fat  horse  now  is  living  in  clover  since 
you  acquired  your  motor  cars — adored  and  followed 
you. 

"  And  one  day  I  told  Van  Rosen — that  I  couldn't 
marry  him.  You  don't  know  how  humble  I  felt  to 
think  that  I  might  have  hurt  him.  But  in  that  mo- 
ment his  real  self  showed.  He  was  angry,  furiously 
angry,  and  I  knew  all  at  once  that  it  was  my  money, 
and  not  me  that  he  wanted. 

"  And  so  I  came  back  to  you 

182 


HER  LETTER   TO  ANTHONT 

"  But  you  had  Bettina,  and  there  was  no  place  ioi 
me.  No  place  for  the  little  dark-eyed  girl  who  had 
listened  to  the  big  boy  on  stormy  nights,  no  place 
for  the  woman  who  had  not  known  her  own  heart 

"  And  now  you  want  me  to  be  your  friend.  But  1 
can't  be  your  friend — Anthony.  Friendship  is  for 
the  man  and  woman  who  have  never  loved.  A 
friendship  which  is  the  aftermath  of  love  is  the 
shadow  after  the  substance.  Can't  you  see  that  it  is 
so?  Can't  you  see  that  there  would  be  just  two 
things  which  might  happen  ?  If  I  stayed  here  and 
tried  to  be  your  friend,  either  I  should  knit  myself  to 
you  by  ties  which  should  bind  you  to  your  wife,  or  we 
should  drift  apart,  having  the  perfect  memory  neither 
of  love  nor  of  friendship. 

"  Bettina  is  very  young,  but  she  has  depths  of 
which  you  have  not  dreamed,  of  which  I  had  not 
dreamed,  until  I  talked  with  her  last  night.  I  went 
up  to  her  room,  and  we  had  a  very  sweet  and  tendei 
confidence.  It  was  almost  dawn  before  I  left  her. 
She  showed  me  much  of  her  heart,  as  she  will,  I 
hope,  some  day  show  it  to  you 

"  Hers  is  a  little  white  soul,  dear  friend.  On  the 
surface  she  has  her  girlish  petulances,  her  youthful 
prejudices.  But  these  ?  Why,  I  had  a  thousand  of 
them,  Anthony.  How  I  snubbed  those  poor  students 
whom  you  brought  with  you  one  afternoon  to  tea 
because  their  elbows  were  shiny  and  their  shoes 
rusty.  I  was  such  a  little  snob,  Anthony.  How  I 
should  welcome  them  now — those  great  doctors, 
who  have  done  so  much  for  humanity. 

"  It  is  life  which  teaches  us,  dear  friend.  It  will 
teach  Bettina.  And  it  must  teach  me  this :  To  bear 
the  hard  things.  Do  you  remember  in  those  days 

183 


GLORT  OF  TOUTH 

when  we  read  of  knights  on  the  battle-field  that  we 
loved  those  who  died  fighting  ?  And  how  we  hated 
those  who  ran  away  ?  Well,  I'm  going  to  fight- 
but  my  fight  must  begin  by  running  away. 

"  It  isn't  a  battle  which  we  can  fight  together. 
The  two  who  must  do  things  together  are  you  and 
Bettina.  Any  friendship  of  ours  would  shut  her  out 
That's  the  plain  truth,  and  you  and  I  are  old  enough 
to  know  it,  Anthony. 

"There's  much  more  that  I  could  say  to  you 
Much  more.  But  you  must  read  between  the  lines. 
All  my  days  I  shall  have  in  my  heart  the  memory  of 
my  dear — big  boy.  Some  day  when  I  am  old  and 
you  are  old,  we  can  be  friends.  I'll  look  forward  to 
that  day,  and  it  shall  be  my  beacon  light  in  the  dark- 
ness. 

"  It's  good-bye,  dear,  for  a  long  time — good-bye. 

"  DIANA." 

How  still  it  was  in  the  hemlock  forest  1  A  squir- 
rel which  had  ventured  down  from  the  branches  flat- 
tened himself  against  the  trunk  of  a  tree  and  peered 
curiously  at  the  figure  which  lay  face  downward  on 
the  fragrant  carpet.  One  hand,  outflung,  caught  at 
a  little  bush  and  held  on  as  if  in  agony.  The  other 
hand  grasped  the  sheets  of  gray  paper,  which,  close- 
written,  in  feminine  script,  had  brought  a  message 
of  infinite  pain  and  loss. 


184 


CHAPTER  XIV 
THE  LITTLE  SILVER  RING 

yacht  yard  in  which  Bobbie's  boat  was 
J-  hauled  up  for  repairs  lay  at  the  foot  of  the 
rocks  to  the  north  of  Diana's  house.  From  the 
north  porch,  therefore,  one  could  look  down  on  the 
activities  which  had  to  do  with  the  bringing  in,  and 
putting  into  shape  the  fine  craft  which  through  the 
summer  were  anchored  in  the  harbor.  A  marine 
railway  floated  the  boats  in  and  out  at  high  tide,  and 
at  such  times  creaked  complainingly. 

It  was  on  the  north  porch  that  Sophie  and  Bettina 
sat  on  the  morning  after  Diana's  departure — Sophie 
knitting  a  motor  scarf  for  Anthony,  Bettina  hem- 
stitching white  frills. 

Below  in  the  yacht  yard  the  master  gave  orders, 
and  the  machinery  of  the  marine  railway  began  its 
clanking  chorus.  Bettina  glanced  over  the  rail. 
;i  Bobbie's  boat  is  going  out,"  she  said,  fi  and  he  and 
*vistin  are  on  board." 

Just'n  saw  her  and  called,  "  May  I  come  up?  •' 

185 


GLORT  OF  TOUTH 

when  we  read  of  knights  on  the  battle-field  that  we 
loved  those  who  died  fighting  ?  And  how  we  hated 
those  who  ran  away  ?  Well,  I'm  going  to  fight- 
but  my  fight  must  begin  by  running  away. 

"  It  isn't  a  battle  which  we  can  fight  together. 
The  two  who  must  do  things  together  are  you  and 
Bettina.  Any  friendship  of  ours  would  shut  her  out 
That's  the  plain  truth,  and  you  and  I  are  old  enough 
to  know  it,  Anthony. 

"There's  much  more  that  I  could  say  to  you 
Much  more.  But  you  must  read  between  the  lines. 
All  my  days  I  shall  have  in  my  heart  the  memory  of 
my  dear — big  boy.  Some  day  when  I  am  old  and 
you  are  old,  we  can  be  friends.  I'll  look  forward  to 
that  day,  and  it  shall  be  my  beacon  light  in  the  dark- 
ness. 

"  It's  good-bye,  dear,  for  a  long  time — good-bye. 

"  DIANA." 

How  still  it  was  in  the  hemlock  forest  1  A  squir- 
rel which  had  ventured  down  from  the  branches  flat- 
tened himself  against  the  trunk  of  a  tree  and  peered 
curiously  at  the  figure  which  lay  face  downward  on 
the  fragrant  carpet.  One  hand,  outflung,  caught  at 
a  little  bush  and  held  on  as  if  in  agony.  The  other 
hand  grasped  the  sheets  of  gray  paper,  which,  close- 
written,  in  feminine  script,  had  brought  a  message 
of  infinite  pain  and  loss. 


184 


CHAPTER  XIV 
THE  LITTLE  SILVER  RING 

THE  yacht  yard  in  which  Bobbie's  boat  was 
hauled  up  for  repairs  lay  at  the  foot  of  the 
rocks  to  the  north  of  Diana's  house.  From  the 
north  porch,  therefore,  one  could  look  down  on  the 
activities  which  had  to  do  with  the  bringing  in,  and 
putting  into  shape  the  fine  craft  which  through  the 
summer  were  anchored  in  the  harbor.  A  marine 
railway  floated  the  boats  in  and  out  at  high  tide,  and 
at  such  times  creaked  complainingly. 

It  was  on  the  north  porch  that  Sophie  and  Bettina 
sat  on  the  morning  after  Diana's  departure — Sophie 
knitting  a  motor  scarf  for  Anthony,  Bettina  hem- 
stitching white  frills. 

Below  in  the  yacht  yard  the  master  gave  orders, 
and  the  machinery  of  the  marine  railway  began  its 
clanking  chorus.  Bettina  glanced  over  the  rail. 
u  Bobbie's  boat  is  going  out,"  she  said,  "  and  he  and 
*«astin  are  on  board." 

Justfn  saw  her  and  called,  "  May  I  come  up?': 


GLORT  OF  TOUTH 

Bettina  shook  her  head  at  him.  "  If  he  thinks  I'm 
going  to  shriek  an  answer  to  the  housetops,  he's 
mistaken." 

Again  she  shook  her  head  at  him,  and  Justin  im 
mediately  offered  excuses  to  Bobbie. 

"  You  won't  mind,"  he  said,  "  if  I  go  up  there  ?  " 

Bobbie  jeered.  "  Talk  about  me !  You're  here 
to-day  and  there  to-morrow.  Yesterday  it  was  Sara, 
and  now  it's  Betty  Dolce." 

"  It  was  never  Sara." 

"  That's  what  I  said  when  I  fell  in  love  veith  Doris, 
but  you  wouldn't  believe  me.  And  I  can't  quite  see 
the  difference." 

"  I've  never  cared  for  Sara  in  that  way." 

"  Then  you  have  jolly  well  flirted  with  her." 

"  Don't  try  to  be  English  with  your  '  jolly  wells/  * 

Bobbie  turned  his  back  on  Justin.  "  I  suppose, 
then,  you're  not  going  to  have  lunch  with  me  ?  "  he 
said  over  his  shoulder. 

"  Why  can't  we  all  have  lunch  with  you?" 

"  Who  is— all  ?  " 
Betty,  and  Mrs.  Martens — and  me w 

"  Doesn't  Doris  come  into  it  ?  " 

"  Of  course,  if  you  can  get  her  up." 

"  I  can  always  get  her  up.     You  know  that     But 

1 86 


THE  LITTLE  SILVER  RING 

there's  nobody  just  now  in  the  world  for  you  but 
Betty  Dolce." 

Nobody  but  Bettina  !  Justin  admitted  it  to  him- 
self triumphantly.  Please  God,  there  should  nevei 
be  any  one  but  Bettina ! 

Perhaps  something  of  his  thought  showed  in  hi& 
face,  for  Bobbie  clapped  him  on  the  shoulder  with  a 
hearty,  "  Go  in  and  win  her,  old  man,  and  we'll  have 
a  double  wedding." 

"  If  my  wedding,'*  solemnly,  "  were  as  sure  ?is 
yours,  Fd  burn  incense  to  the  gods." 

"  Well,  why  don't  you  make  it  sure  ?  " 

"  I  can't  She  stands  on  her  pedestal,  and  I  can't 
reach  up  to  her." 

"  Man,  you're  afraid  of  her." 

"  It  isn't  that.  But  I'm  not  in  this  race  to  fall  out. 
Bobbie.  I  guess  you  can  see  that." 

Bobbie  nodded.  "  Anybody  who  has  eyes  can  see 
it,"  he  said. 

The  little  yacht  was  in  the  water  now,  still  help- 
less because  of  her  furled  sails. 

Justin,  making  a  bridge  of  the  small  boats  tied  to 
the  floating  pier,  gained  dry  land,  and  continued  his 
conversation  with  Bobbie  across  the  intervening 
space.  "  Suppose  we  cut  the  luncheon  out,  and  go 

187 


GLORT  OF  TOUTH 

for  a  sail  this  afternoon.     We  can  land  off  Gloucester 
way  and  have  tea  at  the  Lobster  Pot." 

"Tea,  meaning  lobster  sandwiches,"  said  Bobbie. 
"  Do  you  know,  Justin,  that  the  whole  coast  is  blos- 
soming with  lobster  sandwiches?  Once  upon  a 
time  one  ate  muffins  with  their  tea.  But  now  no- 
body takes  tea.  They  take  coffee  and  lobster  sand- 
wiches. And  I  don't  like  sea  foods,  and  I  don't 
drink  coffee.  Otherwise  it  is  all  right" 
;  "  We'll  have  muffins  and  jam.  And  you  and 
Doris  shall  have  a  table  by  yourselves,  and  Bettina 
and  I,  and  we'll  ask  Anthony  to  look  after  Mrs.  Mar- 
tens." He  stopped.  "  No,  we  won't  ask  Anthony — 
he  has  a  fashion  of  claiming  Bettina.  He's  her 
guardian,  you  know." 

"  Look  here,  Justin.     Did  it  ever  occur  to  you  that 
he'd  like  to  be  more — than  a  guardian  ?  " 

"  It's  Diana  for  Anthony,  Bobbie." 

"  I'm  not  so  sure.     Doris  says  there  is  something 
queer  about  it  all " 

"Queer?" 

"  Oh,  about  Diana  having  Bettina  here,  and  then 
going  away  and  leaving  her " 

"  Sara's  been  talking.     Doris  wouldn't  think  such 

unpleasant  things,  Bobbie — there  isn't  anything  be- 

188 


THE  LITTLE  SIL7ER  RING 

tween  Anthony  and  Betty.  There  can't  be  any- 
thing  " 

But  even  as  he  said  it  he  was  stabbed  by  the  mem- 
ory of  Bettina's  radiant  look  of  pride  as  she  sat  be- 
side Anthony  on  the  night  of  the  yacht  club 
dance. 

"  No  man,"  said  Bobbie,  "  is  going  to  wait  for- 
ever, and  Betty  Dolce  is  a  very  lovely  little  lady. 
All  the  boys  at  the  club  are  crazy  about  her,  and  if  it 
hadn't  been  for  Doris  there's  no  telling  how  I  might 
have  felt — but  Doris  is  the  last  one,  Justin." 

"Good.  I'll  wigwag  from  the  porch,  Bobbie. 
Keep  your  eyes  open  for  my  signal." 

Bettina,  still  hemstitching  on  white  frills,  welcomed 
Justin  with  a  charming  smile,  but  with  a  decided 
negative  to  his  invitation. 

"  I'm  going  out  with  Anthony." 

Justin  eyed  her  reproachfully.  "  I  told  you  once 
before  that  three  was  a  crowd " 

"  Oh,  but  this  time  it  isn't  three,  but  two — Anthony 
and  I  are  going  alone  in  his  little  car,  and  we  are  to 
have  dinner  at  Green  Gables." 

All  the  laughter  died  out  of  his  face.  "  Oh,  I'm 
afraid  you  must  think  me  all  kinds  of  fool."  He 

turned  abruptly  to  Sophie.     "  Mrs.  Martens,  you'll 

189 


GLORT  OF  TOUTH 

Dr.  Anthony,  who  loved  her  and  whom  she 
loved  ? 

It  was  on  the  return  trip,  too,  that  he  had  spoken 
of  their  coming  marriage.  "  Why  can't  it  be  soon, 
Bettina  ?  "  he  had  said.  "  Why  should  we  wait,  you 
and  I?" 

She  knew  that  there  was  no  good  reason.  That  a 
Sew  weeks  ago  she  would  have  been  radiant  at  the 
prospect. 

Yet  she  told  him,  nervously,  that  if  he  didn't  mind, 
it  would  be  better  to  wait — a  little.  There  were 
things  to  do. 

And  he  had  acquiesced,  because  of  his  masculine 
ignorance  of  the  things  which  must  really  be  done. 

"  The  big  house  will  be  ready,"  he  said,  "  when 
you  are  ready." 

As  she  changed  her  gown  on  her  return  home, 
Bettina  meditated  soberly  on  the  situation.  Diana, 
when  they  had  talked  together,  had  pointed  out  that 
the  women  who  married  such  men  as  Anthony  must 
be  content  to  make  sacrifices.  "  He  belongs  to  the 
world,  dear  child,"  she  had  said  ;  "  you  must  remem- 
ber that,  if  you  would  be  happy  It  must  be  your 
joy  to  help  him  in  his  great  work. ' 

Bettina  was  beginning  to  be  a  little  afraid  of  the 

192 


THE  LITTLE  SIL7ER  RING 

future.  It  was  not  that  she  did  not  love  Anthony-* 
why,  Anthony  was  the  best  man  in  the  whole  wide 
world.  But  everybody  expected  so  much  of  her,  and 
she  was  not  quite  sure  that  she  should  come  up  to 
the  full  measure  of  their  expectations. 

As  she  came  down  the  stairs,  Justin  was  waiting 
for  her. 

"  Oh,  you  little  beauty,"  his  heart  whispered  ;  "  you 
little  white  and  gold  beauty." 

She  had  twisted  her  hair  low  on  her  neck,  and  her 
delicate  lace  mantle  fell  about  her  like  folded  gossamer 
wings. 

"  We  will  sit  in  the  library,"  she  said.  "  I  have 
had  a  fire  built.  It  is  so  damp  and  foggy  outside. 
Sophie  said  you  had  to  come  in  early  from  your  sail 
on  account  of  it" 

"  We  came  near  not  coming  in  at  all,"  Justin  told 
her.  "  Doris  was  terribly  scared.  But  Mrs.  Martens 
was  as  cool  as  possible.  It's  rather  risky  business 
outside  on  such  a  day.  The  rocks  are  like  needle 
points  under  the  water." 

"  I'm  a  terrible  coward." 

"  You  only  think  you  are.  When  are  you  going 
to  fly  with  me  ?  " 

"  Never — please." 

193 


GLORT  OF  TOUTH 

He  had  placed  a  chair  for  her  by  the  fire,  and 
stood  leaning  over  the  back  of  it. 

"Never  is  a  long  time — little  sister." 

"  But  I  should  be  afraid." 

"  Not  with  me." 

Silence. 

"Not  with  me."  He  came  around  so  that  he 
could  look  into  her  face.  "  Would  you  be  afraid  with 
me?" 

She  knew  that  she  would  not.  She  had  not  been 
afraid  in  the  storm.  But  these  things  were  not  to  be 
told. 

She  did  not  meet  his  eyes,  but  shook  her  head. 

He  was  struck  by  her  troubled  look. 

"  Tired — little  sister  ?  "  he  asked. 

Her  lips  quivered.     "  Very  tired." 

His  heart  yearned  over  her.  She  seemed  such  a 
little  thing  in  that  stately  room  with  its  high  ceilings, 
its  massive  furniture,  its  book-lined  walls.  The  only 
light  came  from  the  fire,  and  from  a  silver  lamp  which 
hung  over  Diana's  desk.  On  the  table  near  Bettina 
was  a  bowl  of  pink  hyacinths,  which  filled  the  room 
with  the  fresh  fragrance  of  spring. 

He  was  conscious  of  these  things,  however,  only  as 

a  setting  for  her  beauty.     And  he  was  more  than  ever 

194 


THE  LITTLE  SILVER  RING 

conscious  of  his  desire  to  place  himself  between  her 
and  the  world  which  might  hurt  her.  "  Let  me  help 
you,"  he  said,  earnestly.  "  Don't  you  know  that  my 
only  desire  is  to  serve  you  ?  " 

She  considered  him,  wistfully.  "It's  dear  of  you 
to  say  that." 

He  sat  down,  leaning  toward  her. 

"  It  isn't  dear  of  me.  It  isn't  even  good  of  me. 
It's  simply  self-preservation.  Don't  you  know,  can't 
you  see  that  I  have  only  one  thought — your  happi- 
ness ;  only  one  wish — to  be  always  near  you  ?  " 

There  was  no  mistaking  the  significance  of  his 
flaming  words. 

She  shrank  back.  "  Oh,  you  must  not  say  such 
things." 

"  Why  not  ?  " 

"  Because.     Oh,  you  called  yourself  my  friend." 

"  I  am  more  than  that,"  he  said,  steadily.  "  I  am 
your  lover. ' 

"  Please — oh,  please." 

She  began  to  sob  like  a  little  child.  "  Oh,  big 
brother,"  she  told  him,  "  you  have  spoiled  every- 
thing." 

He  knelt  beside  her  chair.  "  How  have  I  spoiled 
things  ?  " 

195 


GLORT  OF  YOUTH 

"  I  wanted  you  for  my  friend." 

"  I  am  your  friend,  dear  one." 

Very  still  and  pale  she  fought  against  the  sweet- 
ness of  the  truth  he  was  forcing  upon  her. 

"  Please — go  away,"  she  whispered. 

He  rose  to  his  feet     "  I  shall  not  give  you  up." 

She  rose  also,  a  frail  little  thing  in  her  floating 
draperies,  and  laid  her  hand  lightly  on  his  arm. 

"  There  are  things  which  I  cannot  tell  you.  But 
I  need  a  friend.  If  you  care  for  me  you'll  let  me  be 
your — little  sister ;  you  won't  trouble  me  by  saving 
such  things  as  you  have  said — to-night." 

He  tried  with  all  the  strength  of  his  young  man- 
hood to  hide  his  own  hurt  and  meet  her  need. 

"  I  could  kill  myself  for  making  you  cry.  I'm 
going  to  be  good  now.  Really  and  truly  your  good 
big  brother." 

She  glanced  up  at  him  with  charming  shyness. 

"  I'll  forget  the  things  that  you  have  said  to-night— 
if  you  won't  say  them  again." 

"  I  shall  not  tie  myself  to  an  impossible  promise," 
he  repeated,  "but  I  am  going  to  tie  you  to  a 
promise." 

"Me?"     She  faced  him. 

44  Yes.     Oh,  see  here,"  boyishly,  "  I  brought  some- 

196 


THE  LITTLE  SILVER  RING 

thing  for  you  to-night.  I  have  noticed  that  you 
don't  wear  rings,  but  I  want  you  to  wear  this."  He 
opened  his  hand  and  showed  her,  lying  on  the  palm, 
a  little  silver  ring.  '*  It's  just  a  simple  trinket  that 
my  sister  wore  as  a  child.  I'd  like  to  think  that  it 
would  tie  you  to  me  always — for  remembrance.  I 
had  hoped  that  you  would  let  me  give  you  another 
some  time.  But  this — why,  you  can't  object  to 
wearing  it — and  it  would  mean  a  lot  to  me  if  you 
would " 

Her  slender  fingers  touched  it.  "  How  sweet  of 
you  to  think  of  it " 

"Then  you'll  wear  it?" 

"  Yes — because  you  are — my  friend." 

He  took  her  hand  in  his  and  fitting  the  slender 
band  first  on  one  finger  and  then  on  another  found  a 
place  for  it  at  last  on  the  little  finger  of  her  left 
hand. 

"  With  this  ring,"  he  said,  softly,  "  I  take  you 
always — for  my  friend " 

Then  he  stood  looking  down  at  her.  "What  a 
lovely  little  thing  you  are,"  he  said.  "  You're  so 
tiny  that  I  could  pick  you  up  and  carry  you  off,  yet 
I  tremble  when  I  touch  your  hand." 

She  drew  a  quick  short  breath, 

197 


GLORT  OF  TOUTH 

K  You  aren't  to  say  such  things  to  me — you  know.*1 

"  I'll  be  good." 

She  knelt  down  like  a  child  on  the  hearth-rug,  and 
held  her  hand  forward  so  that  the  light  of  the  fire 
might  shine  on  the  silver  circlet. 

"  Why,  it's  engraved,"  she  said,  "  with  two  hearts/ 

"  Yes,"  he  said  ;  "  your  heart  and  mine." 

As  she  bent  forward,  the  thin  chain  which  she 
wore  about  her  neck  swung  forward  from  among  the 
laces  of  her  gown,  and,  "  tinkle,  tinkle,"  sounded  the 
chime  of  the  flashing  rings  which  Anthony  had 
given  her. 

Justin  saw  her  catch  at  them,  saw  her  look  of 
frightened  appeal  as  she  thrust  them  hurriedly  back 
into  their  hiding-place. 

She  rose  slowly  from  the  rug ;  slowly  she  took  the 
little  silver  ring  from  her  finger ;  slowly  she  handed 
it  back  to  him. 

"Please,  I  must  not  wear  it,"  she  said,  with  a 
break  in  her  voice.  "  I  must  give  it  back  to  you— • 
my  friend." 


198 


CHAPTER  XV 

IN  WHICH  BETTINA  FLIES 

IN  th,^  clear  days  which  followed,  Justin  gave  his 
undivided  attention  to  flying.  Not  once  did  he 
see  Bettina.  Not  once  did  he  join  the  party  of  young 
people  of  which  he  had  been  the  leading  spirit. 

In  vain  did  Bobbie  formulate  enticing  plans. 

"We'll  go  to  Cat  Island  with  Captain  Stubbs, 
fish  all  day,  and  have  chowder  on  the  rocks." 

There  had  been  one  glorified  fishing  trip  for  Justin 
with  Bettina.  He  wanted  no  other. 

"  I've  wasted  enough  time,"  he  said  shortly.  "  1 
came  here  to  practice  flying,  not  to  do  social 
stunts." 

Sara  urged  him  also.  "  You  haven't  played  a  set 
of  tennis  with  me  since  you  came  up,"  she  com- 
plained. "  Of  course  I  know  you're  simply  crazy 
over  Betty  Dolce,  but  that  needn't  cut  me  out 
entirely.  I  thought  my  friendship  meant  something 
to  you,  Justin." 

"  It  does,"  Justin  told  her,  honestly,  "  but  I'm  no? 

199 


GLORT  OF  TOUTH 

in  a  mood   for  tennis,   and  as  for  Betty  Dolce,  1 
haven't  seen  her  for  a  week." 

Sara  was  cheered  by  his  statement.  If  his  ab- 
sorption was  simply  in  his  flying  machine,  she  could 
wait.  Men  always  returned  finally  from  machines 
to  femininity. 

So  Justin  flew  and  flew,  looking  down  at  times 
upon  the  tops  of  the  houses  in  the  quaint  coast 
towns,  at  other  times  having  beneath  him  and  above 
him  blue  sea  and  blue  sky. 

And  everywhere  he  went,  he  knew  that  people 
were  craning  their  necks  and  crying  out  in  wonder, 
for  in  this  part  of  the  world,  at  least,  such  aerial 
craft  were  rare  visitors. 

And  when  he  grew  tired  of  great  heights,  he 
would  let  his  shining  ship  slide  down  the  air  currents 
until  it  touched  the  water ;  then  like  a  mammoth 
aquatic  bird  it  would  swim  the  surface,  and  the 
sailors  on  the  big  yachts  would  lean  out  over  the 
sides  and  hail  him,  and  the  motor  boats  would  fol- 
low him,  until,  at  last,  growing  impatient  of  their 
close  observance,  he  would  rise  again,  higher  antf 
higher  in  the  golden  haze ;  earth  would  be  left  be 
hind,  and  he  would  be  alone  with  his  thoughts. 

And  he  thought  always  of  Bettina. 
200 


IN  WHICH  BETTINA  FLIES 

He  thought  of  her  as  he  had  first  seen  her,  in  the 
shadowy  room,  with  her  shabby  black  dress  and  her 
white  and  gold  beauty.  He  thought  of  her  as  she 
had  come  toward  him  under  the  lilacs,  a  flower  among 
the  flowers.  Again  he  saw  her  dancing,  like  a 
wraith,  in  the  moonlight ;  he  saw  her,  in  the  little 
blue  serge  frock  and  shady  hat,  measuring  him  with 
her  cool  eyes  ;  and  again,  laying  plates  on  the  flap- 
ping cloth  with  white  hands,  or  racing  with  him 
against  the  wildness  of  the  storm.  He  saw  her  with 
her  fair  wet  braids  hanging  to  her  knees,  and  her 
slender  fingers  twisting  among  the  gold.  He  saw 
her  with  the  light  of  the  harness-room  fire  upon  her 
as  she  promised  to  be  his  friend. 

But  most  of  all  he  saw  her  as  she  had  been  that 
last  night  in  the  great  library,  frail  and  white  in  her 
floating  draperies. 

"  You  have  spoiled  everything,"  she  had  said. 

How  had  he  spoiled  everything  ? 

In  one  moment  he  would  resolve  to  have  it  out 
with  her.  In  the  next  he  would  plan  to  go  away,  to 
give  her  up,  to  forget  her. 

A  few  weeks  ago  he  had  not  known  her.  He  had 
liked  many  women,  but  had  loved  none.  He  had 
heart-whole  and  fancy  free.  And  now  his  life, 
201 


GLORT  OF  TOUTH 

his  happiness,  all  of  his  future,  were  bound  up  in 
this  little  pale  child  with  the  wonderful  hair ! 

Up  and  up,  higher  and  higher.  It  was  like  the 
flight  of  an  eagle. 

And  far  below,  on  a  porch  which  overhung  the 
harbor,  two  women  watched  with  beating  hearts. 

"  Oh,  why  will  he  do  it  ?  "  Sophie  asked,  in  ago- 
nized tones.  "  It  is  so  dangerous." 

Bettina  caught  her  breath.  "  Somehow  I  can't 
think  of  the  danger,"  she  said.  "  He  isn't  afraid, 
and  to  me  it  seems — very  wonderful — as  if  he  had 
wings,  and  could  fly — straight  up — to  heaven " 

As  Justin  had  thought  all  that  week  of  Bettina,  so 
she  had  thought  of  him  ;  every  moment  of  the  day, 
and  into  the  night,  the  vision  was  upon  her. 

Again  she  was  held  by  those  mocking  eyes,  again 
she  was  thrilled  by  that  mad  race  in  the  rain.  She 
saw  him  as  he  had  been  on  the  night  of  the  yacht 
club  dance,  with  his  laughing  air  of  conquest ;  as  he 
had  been  in  the  great  library,  saying  steadily,  "  I  am 
your  lover " 

He  had  gone  from  her,  angry,  that  nights  because 
she  would  give  him  no  explanation  of  her  refusal  to 
take  the  silver  ring. 

"  I  cannot,  I  cannot,"  she  had  repeated 

202 


IN  WHICH  BET  TIN  A  FLIES 

He  had  caught  hold  of  her  hands.  "  You  are  not 
a  flirt,"  he  had  said  ;  "  you  are  too  sweet  and  good 
for  that — but  what  do  you  mean  by  your  mys- 
teries    Oh,  why  can't  you  tell  me  the  truth  ?" 

She  had  looked  at  him,  dumbly,  and  he  had  rushed 
away,  leaving  her  unforgiven. 

She  had  written  at  once  to  Diana,  asking  to  be  re- 
leased from  her  promise  to  keep  her  engagement 
secret.  "  People  ought  to  know,"  was  the  reason  she 
gave. 

She  had  also  telephoned  to  Anthony.  She  wanted 
to  see  him.  To  tell  him  that  she  would  marry  him 
as  soon  as  he  wished.  That  would  be  the  solution. 
Then  Justin  would  understand,  and  would  forgive 
her. 

She  felt  that  more  than  anything  in  the  whole  wide 
world  she  wanted  Justin's  forgiveness. 

Anthony  had  come,  and  they  had  gone  into  the 
library  where  she  had  talked  with  Justin,  and  An- 
thony, preoccupied  and  silent,  had  placed  a  chair  for 
her,  and  had  stood  where  Justin  had  stood.  And 
she  had  shivered  and  had  begged,  "  Sit  down  where 
I  can  see  you." 

He  had  taken  the  chair  opposite  her,  and  suddenly 
she  had  surprised  herself  and  him  by  coming  over 

203 


GLORT  OF  TOUTH 

So  him,  and  slipping  to  her  knees  beside  his  chair, 
and  sobbing  with  her  face  hidden. 

He  had  lifted  her  in  his  arms,  and  had  soothed  her 
like  a  child.  "  What  is  it,  dear  heart  ?  "  he  had  de- 
manded. 

And,  like  a  child,  she  had  answered : 

"  Oh,  please,  let's  get  married  right  away " 

She  had  explained  haltingly  that  she  had  been 
lonely  since  Diana  went  away,  and  unhappy.  She 
— she  missed  her  mother — and  Diana's  house  wasn't 
her  home.  Sophie  was  dear,  but,  oh,  it  would  be 
much  better  to  be  married  as  soon  as  she  could  get 
ready. 

"  And  how  soon  will  that  be  ?  "  gravely. 

"  In  a  month.  I  think  everybody  should  be  told 
now." 

He  agreed.  "  Perhaps  it  should  have  been  an- 
nounced at  once,  but  Diana  seemed  to  think  that  it 
was  best  to  wait." 

"  Diana  doesn't  know — everything." 

"  No,  but  she  is  wise  in  many  things." 

"  Anthony  ?  " 

"Yes?" 

"  When  we  are — married,  will  you  and  Diana  be 

fust  as  good  friends?" 

204 


IN  WHICH  BETTINA  FLIES 
I  hope  that  we  may " 


Something  in  his  tone  had  made  her  look  up  and 
say  quickly,  "  Oh,  I  want  you  to  be  friends.  You 
didn't  think  that  I  was  jealous — of  Diana  ?  " 

He  had  thought  she  might  be.  If  she  knew  the 
truth  she  would  surely  have  a  right  to  be.  But  she 
did  not  know  the  truth. 

"  Why  did  you  ask  ?  "  he  probed. 

"  Because,"  feverishly,  "  it  doesn't  seem  right,  does 
it,  that  just  because  a  man  and  a  woman  are  married 
they  should  never  have  any  men  or  women  friends  ? 
There's  Bobbie,  for  example — and — and  Justin — I 
shan't  have  to  be  just  your  wife,  shall  I  ?  I  can  have 
them  for  friends  ?  " 

"  Of  course."  Yet  even  as  he  said  it  he  wondered 
if  he  would  care  to  have  her  allegiance  divided — as 
his  was  divided.  Oh,  wise  Diana,  who  had  refused 
to  be  what  she  had  no  right  to  be,  what  he  would 
not  want  his  own  wife  to  be,  when  once  she  was 
bound  to  him — the  dear  friend  of  another  man. 

"  You  and  I,"  he  said,  "  must  try  to  be  all  in  all  to 
each  other."  Then  after  a  pause,  "  Do  you  really 
love  me,  child  ?  " 

"  Oh,  yes."     Again  she  drew  a  sobbing  breath. 

"  I  am  such  an  old  fellow,"  he  said,  in  a  troubled 
205 


GLORT  OF  TOUTH 

way,  "  and  you  are  made  for  bright  things  and  gay 
things.  I  wonder  if  you  will  be  happy  with  an  old 
tired  fellow  like  me " 

In  her  simplicity  she  believed  that  his  appeal  was 
that  of  love,  and  out  of  the  gratitude  which  she  felt 
that  she  owed  him  she  tried  to  respond. 

"  Oh,  I  do  love  you,"  she  whispered,  "  and  when 
we  are  married — we  shall  be  happy " 

Presently  she  tugged  at  the  thin  chain  about  her 
aeck,  and  brought  forth  the  rings. 

"  After  this  I  shall  wear  them,"  she  said,  "  for  all 
the  world  to  see," 

When  Anthony  went  home  he  answered  Diana's 
letter.  He  had  sent  her  flowers  on  the  day  that  she 
had  left — her  favorite  violets  and  valley  lilies.  Be- 
yond that  he  had  made  no  sign. 

But  now  he  wrote  : 


"  OH,  DEAR  WISE  WOMAN  : 

"  During  all  the  days  since  I  received  your 
letter  I  have  not  been  able  to  see  things  as  you 
wanted  me  to  see  them.  I  have  raged  against  Fate, 
and  have  been  pursued  by  Furies.  I  have  shut  my- 
self away,  as  far  as  possible,  from  the  world.  At  one 
moment  I  have  doubted  your  love  for  me ;  at  the  next, 
I  have  resolved  to  follow  you,  play  cave  man,  and 
carry  you  off. 

206 


IN  WHICH  BETTINA  FLIES 

"  I  have  read  and  reread  your  letter,  trying  to  find 
some  weakness  to  which  I  could  appeal — but  I  could 
find  none.  But  finally,  as  I  read,  one  sentence  began 
to  stand  out :  '  We  loved  those  who  died — fighting.' 
When  I  got  into  the  swing  of  that  thought  it  stirred 
me.  I  am  going  to  live — fighting — perhaps  I  shall 
die — fighting 

"To-day  Bettina  has  told  me  that  she  will  marry 
me  in  a  month.  She  says  that  she  has  written  you 
that  it  is  best  that  people  should  know  at  once. 
And  I  think  that  it  is  best.  I  shall  try  to  make  her 
happy,  but  if  I  conquer  life,  if  I  ever  do  any  great 
thing  or  good  thing  or  wise  thing,  it  will  be  because 
you  have  shown  me  the  way. 

"  You  say,  '  When  we  are  old,  we  can  be  friends/ 
How  I  shall  welcome  old  age,  Diana  1  May  the  years 
fly  swiftly  1 

"  ANTHONY." 

Having  squared  himself  thus  with  the  inevitable, 
Anthony,  a  little  grayer,  perhaps,  a  little  more  worn 
and  worried,  took  up  life  where  he  had  left  off  before 
Diana  came  home  from  Europe. 

He  had  seen  nothing,  of  late,  of  Justin,  except  as 
he  had  glimpsed  him,  now  and  then,  in  the  air, 

But  on  the  morning  on  which  Bettina  and  Sophie 
had  watched  the  flight  from  their  porch  he  came 
upon  the  young  aviator,  near  the  sheds,  standing  in 
the  midst  of  an  eager  group  of  young  folks,  adored 

by  the  girls,  envied  by  the  boys. 

207 


GLORT  OF  TOUTH 

Amid  the  clamor  of  voices  he  caught  the  question, 
"  Are  you  going  up  again  this  afternoon  ?  " 

"Yes." 

Then,  over  their  heads,  Justin  saw  Anthony. 

"  Bring  Betty  Dolce  up  this  afternoon,"  he  called, 
"  and  I'll  show  you  through  the  shops.  There  are 
four  ships  beside  mine  in  the  sheds,  and  they'll  be 
sent  out  to-morrow.  You  and  she  may  never  have  a 
chance  to  see  so  many  together." 

Anthony  agreed,  and  called  up  Bettina. 

She  assented  eagerly.  To-day,  then,  Justin  should 
see  her  rings.  He  would  ask  for  an  explanation. 
She  would  tell  him, — and  he  would  understand. 
When  he  knew  that  she  belonged  to  Anthony  he 
would  forget  that  he  had  wanted  to  be  anything  but 
her  friend,  and  things  would  be  as  they  had  been  before. 

So,  knowing  nothing  of  the  hearts  of  men,  she 
argued  in  her  innocence. 

When  she  saw  Justin,  she  felt  that  even  through 
her  gloves  he  must  see  the  rings.  But  his  eyes  were 
on  her  face,  and  she  burned  red  beneath  his  glance. 

On  an  impulse  he  had  asked  her.  If  Anthony 
brought  her,  he  should  see  her,  talk  to  her.  That, 
for  the  moment,  would  give  his  heart  respite  from 
the  pain  which  gnawed  it. 

208 


IN  WHICH  BETTINA  FLIES 

In  the  dimness  of  the  great  sheds  Betinna  flitted 
silently  like  a  white  moth  from  place  to  place.  She 
left  the  conversation  to  Justin  and  to  Anthony. 
When  Justin  made  explanations  she  seemed  to  listenj 
but  she  did  not  look  up. 

As  a  matter  of  fact,  she  heard  not  a  word.  Her 
mind  was  on  her  rings.  She  began  to  take  off  her 
gloves,  slowly  ;  dreading,  yet  craving  the  moment, 
when  Justin  should  look  at  her  hands. 

But  he  was  still  explaining  to  Anthony  :  "  These 
pontoons  do  the  trick.  An  aeroplane  simply  flies. 
But  the  hydro-aeroplanes  fly  and  swim,  and  that's 
what  makes  them  so  safe  when  there's  water  to 
cross." 

As  he  touched  the  delicate  wires  of  the  framework 
they  gave  forth  a  humming  noise.  "  When  you're 
up  in  the  air,"  he  said,  "  it  sounds  like  the  crash  of 
chords." 

Bettina's  gloves  were  off  now.  The  big  diamonds 
on  her  left  hand  seemed  to  catch  all  the  light  in  the 
dim  room  and  to  blaze  like  suns ! 

But  Justin  was  thinking  only  of  Bettina's  eyes  un- 
der her  drooping  veil,  and  of  her  cheeks  which 
burned  red,  and  of  her  lips  which  were  closed  against 
any  speech  with  him. 

209 


GLORT  OF  YOUTH 

They  went  on  to  the  last  shed,  which  was  open« 
and  from  which  a  track  descended  into  the  water. 

Poised  there,  in  the  half-darkness,  like  a  bird  at 
rest,  was  another  ship,  ready  for  flight. 

"  This  is  mine,"  said  Justin  ;  "  the  '  Gray  Gull.'  I 
wanted  to  call  her  '  The  Wild  Hawk,'  but  changed 
my  mind.  Do  you  remember  Kipling's 

" '  The  wild  hawk  to  the  wind-swept  sky, 

The  deer  to  the  wholesome  wold, 
And  the  heart  of  a  man  to  the  heart  of  a  maid. 
As  it  was  in  the  days  of  old  '  ?  " 

"It  is  one  of  Diana's  favorites,"  said  Anthony. 
But  Bettina  said  never  a  word. 

And  just  then  a  boy  came  to  say  that  Dr.  Blake 
was  wanted  at  the  telephone. 

"It's  a  hurry  call,"  Anthony  came  back  to  tell 
them.  "  Would  you  mind  walking  home  with  Bet- 
tina, Justin?" 

Would  he  mind  ?    Suddenly  all  the  stars  sang ! 

The  moment  that  Anthony's  back  was  turned 
Bettina  felt  a  frantic  desire  to  hide  her  rings.  What 
would  Justin  say  when  he  saw  them  ?  With  Anthony 
there  she  had  felt  brave.  But  now— she  turned  the 

tings  inward  and  began  hastily  to  put  on  her  glovea 

210 


IN  WHICH  BET  TIN  A  FLIES 

Oh,  to-night,  after  she  reached  home,  she  would  write 
Justin  a  prim  little  note  and  tell  him  of  her  engage- 
ment 1  That  would  be  better,  of  course !  She  should 
have  thought  of  it  before  I 

Crashing  across  her  trembling  decision  came  Jus- 
tin's demand. 

"  Look  here.  Why  can't  you  fly  with  me  now  ? 
Just  a  little  way,  low  over  the  harbor?  Come '' 

It  seemed  to  her  that  between  them  was  beating 
and  throbbing  darkness,  out  of  which  his  eager  eyes 
said,  "  Come." 

"  Oh,  no,"  she  protested,  with  dry  lips.  "  Anthony 
wouldn't  like  it" 

"What  has  Anthony  to  do  with  it?"  He  had 
taken  her  hands  in  his  and  was  crushing  them.  The 
rings  cut  and  hurt,  but  she  made  no  sign  ;  she  only 
looked  at  him  large-eyed,  and  said,  not  knowing 
what  she  said,  "  He  has  nothing  to  do  with  it '' 

"  Then  come " 

She  was  conscious  that  he  was  taking1  the  pins  out 
of  her  big  hat.  That  he  was  winding  her  white  chif- 
fon veil,  nun-like,  about  her  head,  so  that  her  face  was 
framed.  And  within  this  frame  glowed  her  hot 
cheeks  and  questioning  eyes. 

"Come,'"  he  said,  again,  and  lifted  her  to  hei  seat 

211 


GLORT  OF  TOUTH 

and  fastened  her  in,  and  took  his  place  beside  her 
He  whistled,  and  two  men  came,  and  the  buoyant 
ship  slid  down  the  track  toward  the  water ;  the  big 
propeller  waved  for  a  moment  its  octopus  arms,  then 
started  with  a  mighty  roar. 

For  a  moment  they  swam  the  surface,  then,  light 
as  a  bird,  the  "  Gray  Gull "  soared. 

Up  and  up,  with  the  white  yachts  in  the  harbor 
just  beneath  them,  with  the  gold  of  the  sunshine 
surrounding  them ;  and  out  of  it  his  face  bending 
down  to  her. 

"  Are  you  afraid  ? "  he  asked,  as  he  had  asked  in 
the  storm. 

And  she,  with  her  cheeks  still  burning  hot,  looked 
up  at  him  and  laughed. 

"Afraid — with  you?  Oh,  Justin,  Justin,  I  could 
fly  like  this — forever." 


CHAPTER  XVI 

VOICES   IN   THE  DARK 

CAPTAIN  STUBBS'  cottage  was  one  of  the  show 
places  of  the  town.  Built  before  the  Revolu- 
tion, it  was  of  typical  English  rural  architecture — one- 
storied,  with  a  square  chimney,  and  with  a  garden 
which  made  it  the  delight  of  artists  who  came  from 
far  and  near  to  paint  it ;  in  the  spring  crocuses 
starred  the  borders,  violets  studded  the  lawn  with 
amethyst,  pale  irises  and  daffodils,  narcissus  and 
jonquils  stood  in  slim  beauty.  Later  came  sweet 
peas,  and  the  roses  followed,  hiding  with  their  beauty 
the  weather-beaten  boards.  The  late  summer 
brought  nasturtiums  in  all  their  richness  of  orange 
and  bronze-brown,  and  in  the  fall,  the  dahlias  blazed. 
The  captain  lived  alone,  attending  to  his  domes- 
tic affairs  in  a  fashion  which  was  the  envy  of  less 
spick  and  span  housekeepers.  He  would  not  have 
his  home  invaded  by  prying  folk,  but  to  his  invited 
and  welcome  guests  he  would  show  his  carved  ivories, 

his  embroideries,  heav)7  with  gold,  his   dragon-en- 

213 


GLORT  OF  TOUTH 

circled  jars  and  vases.  Everywhere  was  the  charm 
of  shining  neatness,  and  flowers  were  everywhere. 

"  I  think  I  should  have  looked  for  a  wife,"  the  cap- 
tain had  told  Bettina  and  Miss  Matthews  one  day 
when  they  had  lunched  -with  him,  "  if  it  hadn't  been 
for  my  flowers.  I  don't  need  a  wife  to  cook  for  me, 
I'm  a  better  cook  than  most  women.  And  I  don't 
need  a  wife  to  mend  my  clothes,  because  every 
sailor  can  handle  a  needle.  And  I  don't  need  a  wife 
to  keep  the  house  clean  for  me — there  isn't  any 
woman  on  earth  that  makes  things  shine  like  a  man 
who  has  been  taught  to  rub  brasses  and  scrub  down 
decks.  What  I'd  need  a  wife  for  would  be  to  make 
things  pretty,  and  to  look  pretty  herself.  But  Lord, 
I  ain't  the  kind  to  attract  a  pretty  woman — and  so  I 
just  gave  it  up." 

A  faint  glimmer  of  resentment  had  shone  in  Miss 
Matthews'  eyes.  "  I  guess  most  women  are  kept  so 
busy  that  they  haven't  time  to  think  about  their 
looks." 

"  Well,  if  I  had  a  wife,"  the  captain  had  said,  "  I'd 
like  to  have  her  wear  bright  things.  My  mother  had 
dimity  dresses — there  was  a  pink  one,  like  a  rose, 
and  a  green  one  that  looked  like  the  young  grass  in 
the  spring,  and  there  was  one  that  made  me  think 

214 


FOICES  IN  THE  DARK 

of  forget-me-nots,  or  the  sky  when  there  isn't  a  cloud 
in  it." 

Bettina  had  smiled  at  him.  "  How  pretty  your 
mother  must  have  been." 

"  It  wasn't  that  she  was  so  pretty  ;  it  was  her  soft, 
quiet  ways,  and  those  bright-colored  roses.  And 
I've  been  looking  for  that  kind  of  woman  ever  since." 

"  If  your  mother,"  little  Miss  Matthews  had  told 
him,  "  had  lived  in  this  day  of  shirt-waists  and  short 
skirts,  she'd  probably  be  wearing  high  collars  and 
sad  colors  with  the  rest  of  us." 

The  emphasis  with  which  the  little  lady  had  offered 
her  opinion  and  the  flush  on  her  face  had  made 
Bettina  look  at  her  with  awakened  eyes  "  Why — I 
believe  she  likes  him.  She'd  be  really  nice-looking 
if  she'd  fix  her  hair " 

To-day,  as  Miss  Matthews  stopped  for  a  moment 
at  the  captain's  gate  to  admire  his  sweet  peas,  she 
was  not  even  "nice-looking."  She  was  pale  and 
thin,  and  had  a  hoarse  cough. 

"  Fm  going  home  and  to  bed,"  she  said»  "  I  took 
cold  that  day  in  the  rain,  captain,  and  it  hasn't  left 
me  since,  and  I  took  more  cold  yesterday,  going  to 
school  without  my  overshoes." 

"  You  come  right  in,  and  I'll  make  you  a  cup  of 
215 


GLORT  OF  TOUTH 

tea,"   said  the  captain,  hospitably.     But  Miss  Mat 
thews  refused,  wearily. 

As  she  turned  away,  however,  Mrs.  Martens  came 
to  get  the  flowers  which  were  the  captain's  daily 
offering  for  Diana's  table,  and  the  little  man  extended 
a  beaming  invitation  to  both  of  them. 

"You  pick  your  posies,"  he  said,  "and  I'll  get 
some  tea  for  you  and  bring  it  right  out  here.  You 
make  her  stay,  Mrs,  Martens  ;  she  needs  a  rest." 

Sophie  smiled  at  the  little  teacher.  "  You  ought 
not  to  be  out  at  all,"  she  said,  sympathetically. 

"  School  closes  in  four  days,"  explained  little  Miss 
Matthews  ;  "  after  that  I  think  I  shall  fall  down  and 
die,  but  I've  got  to  keep  up  until  then." 

As  the  two  women  stood  there  at  the  gate  together, 
they  presented  a  striking  contrast:  Sophie  in  her 
black,  modish  garments,  with  the  look  upon  her  face 
of  the  woman  who  has  been  loved,  and  who  has 
bloomed  because  of  it;  Miss  Matthews,  a  faded 
shadow  of  what  she  might  have  been  if  love  had  not 
passed  her  by. 

"  How's  Betty  ?  "  Miss  Matthews  asked,  as  she  sat 
down  on  a  bench  on  the  little  covered  porch,  and 
watched  Sophie's  slender  fingers  pull  the  sweet  peas. 

Sophie  straightened  up.     "  I'm  worried  about  her,:f 
216 


7OICES  IN  THE  DARK 

she  said.  "  She  and  Anthony  Blake  went  to  see  the 
air-ships,  and  I  had  a  telephone  message  from  An- 
thony that  he  had  had  a  hurry  call,  and  that  Justin 
would  look  after  Betty.  That  was  two  hours  ago, 
and  Betty  hadn't  returned  when  I  left  to  come 
here " 

Captain  Stubbs,  appearing  with  a  big  loaded  tray, 
gave  important  information. 

"  Did  she  have  on  a  white  dress  ?  " 

"Yes." 

"  Then  she's  gone  flying  with  Justin  Ford/' 

"  What  ?  "  Sophie  stood  up,  and  all  the  fragrant 
blooms  fell  at  her  feet.  "Oh,  surely  he  wouldn't 
take  Betty  up  with  him.  It  would  be  dreadful." 

"  Now,  don't  you  worry,"  said  the  captain ;  "  he 
ain't  goin*  to  let  a  hair  of  her  head  get  hurt — he's 
daffy  over  her." 

"  Daffy  ?  "     Sophie  stared. 

"Yep."  The  captain  set  his  tray  on  the  rustic 
table.  "  He  and  that  Betty  child  went  with  me  and 
Miss  Matthews  for  a  day's  fishin',  and  at  first  we 
didn't  notice  anything,  but  after  a  while  we  began  to 
open  our  eyes — and,  well,  we  ain't  blind,  are  we,  Miss 
Matthews  ?  " 

Miss  Matthews,  drinking  her  tea  thirstily,  took  up 

217 


GLORT  OF  YOUTH 

fche  captain's  story.  "  It  rained,  and  the  captain  and 
I  wrapped  up  and  stayed  by  the  boat.  But  those 
young  folks  ran  off,  and  he  was  helping  her  along, 
and  she  was  looking  up  at  him— and — everybody 
knows  what's  going  to  happen  when  two  people  look 
at  each  other  that  way." 

"  And  if  they  are  flying/'  the  captain  chuckled, 
"  they're  probably  as  near  heaven  as  it's  possible  to 
be  this  side  of  the  pearly  gates." 

But  Sophie  would  not  treat  the  subject  lightly. 
"  It's  bad  enough  for  a  man  to  fly,"  she  said,  "  but  he 
had  no  right  to  take  that  child  up  with  him.  Where 
did  you  see  them,  captain  ?  " 

"  I  was  standing  on  those  rocks  out  there,  and  I 
saw  him  rise  up  over  the  harbor.  I  could  see  that 
he  had  some  one  with  him,  so  I  went  in,  and  got  my 
glass,  and  sure  enough,  there  she  was,  all  in  white, 
with  a  white  veil  wrapped  tight  about  her  head." 

"  Which  way  did  they  go  ?  " 

"  Straight  out  beyond  the  harbor,  and  up  toward 
Gloucester  way — but  don't  you  worry,  Mrs,  Martens  \ 
they'll  be  back  before  they  know  it." 

"  But  I  do  worry,"  Sophie  declared,  "  and  I  shall 
certainly  tell  Justin  what  I  think  of  his  foolhardi 
ness." 

2lS 


VOICES  IN  THE  DARK 

"Well,  you  take  your  tea,"  said  the  captain, 
soothingly,  "  and  I'll  call  up  and  see  if  they  have 
come  in." 

Taking  tea  with  the  captain  meant  the  tasting  of 
many  strange  and  wonderful  flavors.  The  little  man 
had  clung  to  all  the  traditions  of  his  seagoing  fore- 
fathers, who  had  brought  back  from  the  Orient 
spicy  things  and  sweet  things — conserved  fruits  and 
preserved  ginger,  queer  nuts  in  syrup,  golden- 
flavored  tea,  and  these  he  served  with  thick  slices  of 
buttered  bread  of  his  own  making. 

"  You  might  have  had  a  lobster,5'  he  said  to  Sophie, 
*  if  it  hadn't  been  so  near  your  dinner  time.  I've 
got  'em  fresh  cooked/' 

But  Sophie  shook  her  head.  "  I  like  your  sweet 
things  better.  Bobbie  and  I  are  the  ones  who  don't 
like  lobster.  He  says  that  I'm  a  sort  of  oasis  in  a 
desert  of  shell-fish." 

"  He's  got  a  nice  boat,"  said  the  captain,  "  and  he's 
got  a  nice  girl.  I  like  Doris." 

Sophie's  mind  went  back  to  Bettina.  "  Oh,  will 
you  telephone,  please,  captain  ?  " 

The  captain  came  back  with  the  news  that  nothing 
had  been  seen  of  the  "  Gray  Gull,"  but  that  there  was 

no  need  to  worry,  as  the  day  was  perfectly  calm,  and 

219 


GLORT  OF  YOUTH 

ihat,  as  he  had  Miss  Dolce  with  him,  he  would  cer- 
tainly not  fly  high. 

Sophie  refused  to  be  comforted.  "  I  shall  tell  An- 
thony," she  said  ;  "  he  must  speak  to  Justin," 

"  I  don't  see  what  Blake's  got  to  do  with  it,"  said 
the  blunt  captain  ;  "  young  Ford  may  tell  him  to 
mind  his  business  -  " 

Sophie's  head  went  up.  "  Dr.  Blake  is  Bettina's 
guardian,"  she  said,  "  and  if  Justin  resents  his  inter- 
ference, I  shall  certainly  be  much  disappointed  in 
Justin/' 

Miss  Matthews  bristled.  "You  ought  to  have 
seen  the  care  he  took  of  her  that  day  in  the  rain.  I 
shall  never  forget  the  sight  of  those  two  young 
creatures  running  up  the  hill  —  the  captain  said  then 
he  had  never  seen  a  prettier  pair." 

In  the  midst  of  her  worry  Sophie  felt  an  insane 
•desire  to  laugh.  Was  this  tragedy  only  or,  after  all, 
d  comedy  ?  If  Betty  loved  Justin  ?  Her  imagination 
could  scarcely  compass  the  consequences  of  this  pos- 
sibility. 

Sophie  walked  home  with  Miss  Matthews,  and,  re 
turning  to  Diana's,  met  Sara  half-way. 

"  Is    Bettina  flying  with  Justin  ?  "   Sara  asked, 


220 


VOICES  IN  THE  DARK 

"Captain  Stubbs  says  that  she  is.  I  am  very 
much  displeased  with  Justin.  It  is  really  unpardon- 
able that  Bettina  should  be  subjected  to  such  danger.'1 

"  She  didn't  have  to  go  if  she  didn't  want  to,"  said 
Sara,  sharply,  "  but  she's  crazy  about  him " 

"  My  dear How  do  you  know  ?  " 

"Anybody  can  see  it.  And  I  guess  it's  the  real 
thing  this  time  with  Justin." 

The  wistful  expression  on  the  sharp  little  face 
touched  Sophie's  kind  heart 

"  It's  hardly  likely.  They  have  known  each  other 
for  such  a  short  time." 

"  Time  has  nothing  to  do  with  love,"  said  the 
sophisticated  Sara.  "  A  man  and  a  girl  can  meet 
and  love  in  a  week  and  live  happy  ever  after.  Oh, 
yes,  they  can.  And  they  can  know  each  other  all 
their  lives  and  be  perfectly  miserable.  Dad  and 
mother  grew  up  together,  and  you've  heard,  Mrs. 
Martens,  what  a  life  they  lived." 

The  story  of  the  unhappiness  of  Sara's  parents 
was  common  property.  Yet  it  hurt  Sophie  to  see 
the  hard  look  in  the  girl's  eyes. 

"  My  dear  child/'  she  said,  "  everything  depends 
on  the  amount  of  affection  which  two  people  give 
each  other — time  doesn't  count" 

221 


GLORT  OF  TOUTH 

Sara  was  digging  the  point  of  her  parasol  into  the 
sand.  "  I've  never  seen  anything  like  it  with  Justin. 
Why,  he's  never  asked  any  woman  to  fly  with  him. 
And  when  I  looked  up  a  while  ago,  and  saw  that  he 
had— her — I  knew  he  wouldn't  have — asked  her — 
if  he  hadn't— cared " 

"  Perhaps  we  are  making  things  more  serious 
than  they  really  are,"  Sophie  said.  But  as  the  two 
women  walked  on  together,  her  mental  disturbance 
continued.  What  if  Miss  Matthews  and  Sara  had 
spoken  the  truth?  How  would  it  affect  Bettina— 
how  would  it  affect — Diana  ? 

"  I  can't  quite  understand  what  all  the  men  see  in 
her,"  Sara  was  saying.  "  Of  course  she's  a  beauty  - 
But  she's  so  little  and  white — and  she  doesn't  seem 
so  terribly  clever " 

"There's  a  charm  she  has  inherited  from  those 
sleepy  Venetian  ladies,  who  only  waked  now  and 
then  to  flash  a  glance  at  some  man — and  hold  him 
captive.  Those  beauties  were  without  conscience. 
But  Bettina  has  a  Puritan  streak  in  her  which  she 
gets  from  her  mother — that's  what  makes  her  such  a 
fascinating  combination,  Sara.  She's  like  a  little  nun ; 
yet  one  feels  instinctively  that  back  of  that  calm 
exterior  there  is  force  and  fire  " 

222 


VOICES  IN  THE  DARK 

Sara  nodded.  "  I  know.  Men  don't  like  the 
obvious.  That's  why  so  many  of  us  American  girls 
fail  to  inspire  grand  passions.  We  have  no  sur- 
prises—no high  lights  or  shadows — it's  all  glare ' 

"  I'm  not  sure,  my  dear,  but  that,  in  the  long  runt 
such  women  make  men  happier  than  the  other  kind. 
In  this  practical  world  there's  little  room  for  varying 
moods." 

"  If  Justin  marries  Bettina,"  said  Sara,  "  they  15 
live  on  rhapsodies."  She  drew  a  quick  short  breath. 
"  There  won't  be  any  commonplaces.  They're  both 
made  that  way.  It  will  be  all  romance  and  roses " 

"  My  dear — aren't  we  taking  things  a  bit  for 
granted  ?  " 

"  You'll  see.    You  haven't  watched  them  as  I  have,,'' 

They  had  reached  Diana's  house,  and  Sophie 
asked  Sara  to  come  in. 

"  I  can't,  It's  getting  late  and  I  must  dress  for 
dinner " 

"Some  other  time  then,  dear?" 

"  Yes — I  shall  love  it."  Then,  with  some  hesita- 
tion. "  I'm  afraid  I've  said  more  than  I  should " 

Sophie  bent  and  kissed  her.  "  Not  a  bit.  I'm  a 
perfect  keeper  of  confidences — and  not  a  sou)  shall 

share  what  you've  told  me " 

223 


GLORT  OF  TOUTH 

Delia  met  Mrs.  Martens  in  the  hall 

"  Dr.  Blake's  on  the  porch,"  she  said,  "  and  he's 
^siting  about  Bettina " 

"  Hasn't  she  come  ?  " 

•'  No." 

:' What  time  is  it,  Delia " 

"  Half-past  six " 

•'  Of  all  the  mad  things  to  do,"  said  Anthony,  as 
Sophie  went  out  to  him.  "I  shall  certainly  call 
Justin  to  strict  account — for  asking  her " 

"She  shouldn't  have  gone,"  Sophie  said.  "I 
can't  imagine  how  he  induced  her.  She's  such  a 
little  coward." 

"  They've  been  away  three  hours.  I  went  over  to 
the  sheds  and  started  a  motor  boat  to  search  for 
them.  They  are  beginning  to  realize  over  there 
that  something  may  have  happened." 

"  Did  Justin  ask  Betty  while  you  were  with  her  ?  *' 

"  No.  He  simply  showed  us  around,  and  said 
he'd  walk  home  with  her.  Oh,  the  young  fool,  the 
young  fool.  He  can  risk  his  own  life  if  he  chooses — 
but  he  had  no  right  to  take — that  child " 

The  telephone  rang,  and  Sophie,  answering,  found 
Justin  at  the  other  end. 

"We're  at  Gloucester,  safe  and  sound.     I'm  aw- 

224 


VOICES  IN  THE  DARK 

fully  sorry  if  you've  worried,  Mrs.  Martens.  But  I 
could  not  get  to  a  'phone  before  this.  We'll  come 
back  by  train,  and  Betty  says  you're  not  to  wait 
dinner.  We'll  get  something  here.  We're  all 
right,  really — only  sorry  if  you  are  upset." 

"  We  are  very  much  upset,"  Sophie  told  him, 
severely.  "Anthony  is  here,  and  he  is  extremely 
anxious." 

"  He  needn't  worry,"  grimly.  "  I  can  take  care  of 
her." 

Mrs.  Martens,  explaining  the  situation  to  Anthony 
a  few  minutes  later,  refrained,  tactfully,  from  giving 
Justin's  exact  words. 

Anthony  dined  with  her,  then  went  off  to  see  Miss 
Matthews,  who  had  asked  him  to  prescribe  for  her 
cold. 

"  Call  me  up  when  Bettina  comes,"  he  said,  as  he 
left 

Sophie  promised,  and  watched  him  drive  away  in 
his  little  car.  She  had  never  seen  him  so  nervous, 
so  irritable.  Was  this  what  the  thwarting  of  his  life 
would  mean — that  he  would  let  go  of  the  serenity 
which  had  made  his  presence  a  benediction  to  his 
little  world  ? 

Or  was  it  really  love  for  Bettina  ^which  so  disturbed 

sai 


GLORT  OF  TOUTH 

him  ?  Stranger  things  had  happened.  Diana  was 
away — Bettina  was  beautiful — Justin  was  in  the  field 
to  measure  lances. 

With  Peter  Pan  for  company,  Sophie  waited  on 
the  porch  for  the  recreant  pair. 

When  they  arrived  it  was  very  dark,  and  she  could 
not  see  then-  faces.  But  what  had  made  that  differ- 
ence in  their  voices — that  subtle,  thrilling  difference  ? 


CHAPTER  XVII 

GLORY  OF  YOUTH 

WHEN  Bettina  cried,  "  I  could  fly  with  you,— 
forever,"  the  light  of  a  great  joy  leaped  in 
Justin's  eyes.  But  he  said  nothing ;  he  merely  seS 
his  hand  more  steadily  to  steering. 

And  Bettina  was  content  to  be  silent ;  to  drift  on 
and  on  in  this  golden  world,  where  there  was  just 
herself  and  the  youth  with  the  shining  eyes. 

Far  beneath  them  several  racing  yachts  seemed 
flung  like  white  flower  petals  on  the  surface  of  the 
sea  ;  two  girls  in  red  coats  on  the  club-house  tennis 
courts  made  glowing  spots  of  color  ;  the  crowds  of 
people  on  the  rocks,  with  their  heads  upturned  to 
view  the  fairy  ship  of  the  air,  were  as  formless  and 
as  lacking  in  life  and  movement  as  a  patchwork 
quilt 

Bettina  felt  no  wonder.  Her  mood  was  one  of 
heavenly  enchantment ;  having  passed  the  first  gate 
of  the  great  adventure,  no  small  detail  could  seem 
strange. 

If  in   those  exquisite   moments   she  remembered 

227 


GLORT  OF  TOUTH 

Anthony,  she  gave  no  sign.  Somewhere,  perhaps, 
down  there  in  the  darkness,  was  a  weary  man  work- 
ing ;  there  were  sick  people ;  pain  was  there  and  suf- 
fering. But  such  things  belonged  to  an  existence  in 
which  she  had  no  part  It  was  as  if  she  had  died, 
and,  rising  above  the  earth,  looked  pityingly  on 
those  who  still  struggled  and  strove. 

She  had  a  sudden  whimsical  memory  of  a  Sunday- 
school  song  which  had  appealed  to  her  childish 
imagination : 

"  I  shall  have  wings,  I  shall  have  wings, 

I  shall  have  wings,  some  day " 

Years  ago  she  had  sung  it  with  a  half  hundred 
enthusiastic  youngsters.  Her  vision,  then,  had 
dealt,  somewhat  hazily,  with  golden  crowns,  with 
plumed  pinions,  and  with  ultimate  bliss ;  but  never 
had  her  imagination  compassed  such  a  moment  as 
this! 

Above  the  noise  of  the  motor  Justin  was  aware  of 
the  lilt  of  her  fresh  young  voice : 

"  I  shall  have  wings,  I  shall  have  wings " 

The  humming  wires  keyed  the  hackneyed  tune  tc 
a  sort  of  celestial  harmony : 

238 


GLORT  OF  TOUTH 

"  Bright  wings  of  love,  from  God  above, 
To  bear  my  glad  soul  away " 

Justin  glanced  down  at  her  rapt  face. 

'  Do  you  like  it  ?  " 

"  It  is — heaven  !  " 

As  she  again  took  up  the  little  song,  he  joined  in, 
and  they  finished  the  last  verse  triumphantly  ;  then 
*hey  looked  at  each  other  and  laughed. 

"  I  used  to  sing  it  in  Sunday-school,"  Bettina  ex- 
plained. 

"  So  did  I,"  and  these  simple  sentences,  in  their 
uplifted  mood  seemed  fraught  with  great  meaning. 

They  were  beyond  the  harbor  now.  Ahead  of 
them  and  to  the  right  was  the  open  sea  ;  to  the  left, 
the  town,  with  its  church  steeples  like  pin  points  be- 
neath them,  its  most  imposing  buildings  no  bigger 
than  mushrooms. 

"  Are  we  so  very  high  ?  '' 

"  Not  so  high,  perhaps,  as  it  seems  to  you.  It  is 
perfectly  safe." 

On  and  on  they  went,  leaving  the  lighthouse  be- 
hind them,  leaving  behind  them  the  harbor  and  the 
icwn,  passing,  finally,  the  great  forest  through  which 
they  had  raced  in  the  rain. 

Then  Justin  had  asked,  "  Do  you  remember  ?w 

229 


GLORT  OF  TOUTH 

And  Bettina  had  answered,  "  Shall  I  ever  forget  ?" 

The  gulls  circled  below  them,  uttering  mewing 
cries.  It  was  as  if  they  protested  against  the  intru- 
sion of  this  bird  man  and  bird  woman  in  a  realm 
which  had  belonged  to  winged  things  since  th<* 
world  began. 

They  came  presently  to  a  long  and  lonely  stretch 
of  beach,  above  which  Justin  sailed,  low,  and,  relax- 
ing his  vigilance  for  the  first  time,  he  began  his 
eager  wooing — all  fire  and  rapture. 

And  Bettina  trembled — and  listened. 

It  seemed  to  her  that  throughout  her  life  she  had 
waited  to  hear  that  which  Justin  was  saying  to  her  now. 

"You  were  made  for  me — dear.  In  my  dreams 
there  has  always  been  a  girl  like  you — little  and 
white  and  helpless — but  vivid,  too,  in  flashes.  When 
I  saw  you  for  the  first  time  in  that  dark  room  on  that 
rainy  day  I  knew  that  you  were — mine,  I  know  I'm 
not  good  enough  for  you.  I  know  that  if  you  should 
ever  marry  me  I  should  thank  God  on  my  knees 
every  day  of  my  life.  But  it  isn't  conceit  which 
makes  me  believe  that  you  and  I  have  been  coming 
toward  each  other  always.  I  don't  know  why  you 
gave  tae  back  the  silver  ring.  At  this  moment  I 
don't  care — although  the  other  night  my  world  went 

230 


GLORT  OF  TOUTH 

to  pieces — but  just  now,  what  you  said, — and  the 
way  you  said  it,  that  you  would  fly  with  me  forever, 
— made  me  feel  that  all  the  things  I  had  hoped  were 
true " 

Bettina  felt  as  if  their  souls  were  bared.  What 
conventional  thing  could  she  say  which  would  hide 
her  joy  ?  Her  eyes  would  tell  him  though  her  lips 
might  not 

As  if  he  read  her  thoughts  he  bent  down  to  her. 
"  Look  at  me,"  he  urged,  and  again,  "  My  dear  one — 
is  it,  then,  really — true  ?  " 

She  knew  now  that  she  was  Justin's  and  he 
«ras  hers  until  the  end  of  time.  By  all  the  white 
wonder  of  her  thoughts  she  knew  it.  By  all  the 
quickened  blood  in  her  beating  heart.  What  she 
had  felt  for  Anthony  was  the  affection  of  an  un- 
awakened  nature — she  had  given  him  gratitude, 
friendship — but  between  them  were  the  years  across 
which  she  must  look  somewhat  timidly;  between 
them  was  his  sadness,  which  oppressed  her,  and  his 
profession,  which  she  feared. 

But  here  was  youth,  which  she  understood,  and 
romance,  for  which  she  had  longed,  and  love  at 

tvhite-heat 

231 


GLORT  OF  YOUTH 

Thus,  as  she  soared  with  Justin,  she  forgot  past 
promises  and  future  judgments,  and  whispered,  "  It 
is  true " 

After  that  they  talked  in  the  language  of  youth 
and  love. 

"  Do  you  know  how  pretty  you  are  ?" 

"  You  think  that  I  am  pretty  because  you — like 
me." 

"  I  think  it  because  I — love  you." 

The  echo  of  their  light  laughter  went  trailing  after 
them  as  the  song  of  a  lark  trails  through  the  blue. 

Softly,  at  last,  Justin  brought  his  shining  ship  down 
to  the  surface  of  a  little  bay. 

Two  men  at  work  on  the  beach  came  out  in  a  dory 
in  answer  to  his  call. 

They  were  eager  and  curious,  and  glad  to  tow  the 
queer  craft  into  shallow  water,  to  make  it  fast,  and 
to  watch  it  for  a  time. 

"We  will  walk  about  for  a  bit,"  Justin  said  to 
Bettina,  "  and  go  back  at  sunset." 

Bettina  demurred.  "It's  really  late  now,"  she 
said,  with  her  eyes  on  the  eastern  horizon,  where  the 
first  gray  haze  of  twilight  was  beginning  to  gather. 

"  Look  the  other  way.  There's  all  the  gold  of  thb 
west,  and  it  won't  be  dark  for  hours." 

232 


GLORT  OF  YOUTH 

"  But  Sophie  will  worry." 

"  She  will  think  you're  with  Anthony — he's  nice 
and  safe." 

"  Perhaps  some  one  will  have  seen  us,  and  have 
told  her,  and  anyhow,  I  must  get  back  for  dinner." 

"  Any  one  may  eat  a  dinner,  but  for  you  and  me 
there  may  never  be  another  moment  like  this  1 " 

Following  a  steep  path  they  came  presently  to  a 
curious  and  lonely  spot.  Here  was  an  ancient  bury- 
ing place.  On  a  rocky  headland,  overlooking  the 
entrance  to  the  harbor  and  the  wide  sweep  of  the 
sea  beyond,  the  first  dead  of  the  colony  had  been 
buried ;  here  lay  the  forefathers  of  the  town.  Many 
of  the  stones  had  fallen ;  others  stood  sturdily  where 
they  had  stood  for  centuries.  Strange  old  stones 
they  were,  of  gray  slate,  etched  with  forbidding  sym- 
bols of  skulls  and  crossbones. 

In  one  corner  was  a  monument  of  later  erection. 
It  had  to  do  with  the  memory  of  more  than  a  hun- 
dred men  who  had  been  lost  in  a  September  gale  off 
:he  fishing  banks. 

Bettina  shivered  as  she  read  the  carved  history. 

"  Oh,  how  did  the  women  stand  it,"  she  said,  "  to 
come  here  to  the  top  of  this  hill,  week  after  week, 

watching?    To  wonder   and   worry  and  fear.     To 

233 


GLORT  OF  TOUTH 

wake  in  the  middle  of  the  night  and  know  that  their 
husbands  and  lovers  were  out  in  the  blackness  and 
storm.  And  then  at  last  to  see  the  boats  coming  inv 
and  not  know  whether  the  ones  they  loved  were  on 
board — to  find,  perhaps,  at  last,  that  they  were  not 
on  board.  How  did  they  stand  it?  • 

"  As  you  would  have  stood  it,  if  you  had  been  one 
of  them " 

"  Would  I  ?  "  wistfully.  "  Do  you  think  I  could 
be  brave  and  patient  ?  " 

"  You  could  be  everything  that  is  good  and  beau- 
tiful   " 

She  did  not  smile  or  blush.  All  the  glamour  of 
their  flight  had  fallen  from  her.  The  old  cemetery 
with  its  gruesome  headstones  oppressed  her.  The 
purple  shadows  of  the  twilight  seemed  to  circle  the 
world. 

She  shuddered  and  one  little  hand  caught  at  the 
sleeve  of  Justin's  coat. 

He  glanced  down  at  her.  "  My  dear  one,  what  is 
it?" 

Her  frightened  eyes  pleaded.  « I— I  don't  like  it 
here.  I'm  afraid." 

w  With  me— silly.  You  weren't  afraid  up  there  in 
tfae  clouds." 

234 


SHE   SANK    DOWN    HOPELESSLY 


GLORT  OF  TOUTH 

"  This  is — different.  It  seems  down  here  as  if  the 
whole  world  were — dead " 

"  You're  tired.  Look  here,  I'm  going  to  carry  you 
up  this  hill." 

As  he  said  it,  masterfully,  she  felt  herself  swept  up 
into  his  strong  young  arms. 

"  Put  me  down  !  " 

He  drew  his  head  back  to  look  at  her. 

"Why?" 

"  I'll  tell  you  in  a  minute.     Put  me  down." 

He  set  her  on  her  feet,  and  she  stood  there,  sway- 
ing, her  lips  parted. 

At  last  she  said,  "  I  love  you,"  but  held  out  her 
hand  as  if  to  keep  him  from  her.  "  I  love  you — but 
I  mustn't  let  you — love  me." 

"Why  not?" 

"  Because — oh,  Justin,"  she  was  stripping  off  her 
gloves,  "oh,  I've  tried  to  hide  these,"  pitifully, 
"  to  hide  these  from  you.  I  wanted  my  little  mo- 
ment of  happiness,  too.  But  now  you've  got  to 
know." 

The  gloves  were  off,  and  the  last  rays  of  the  set- 
ting sun,  striking  the  great  jewels,  brought  fire  which 
seemed  to  blind  Justin's  eyes. 

He  caught  her  hands  in  his,  roughly.  "  Who  gave 

235 


GLORT  OF  YOUTH 

them  to  you  ?  "  he  demanded.     "  Who  gave  them  to 
you,  Bettina?" 

But  all  his  doubts  and  fears  had  crystallized  to  cer- 
tainty before  she  whispered,  "  Anthony." 

"Do  you  mean  that  you  are  going  to  marry — 
Anthony  ?  " 

She  nodded.     "  He  loves  me,  Justin." 

"  And  you  love  him  ?  " 

Her  head  went  up.  "  I  told  you  just  now  that — I 
loved — you.  But  I've  promised  Anthony.  He 
asked  me  that  day  before  I  went  to  Diana's.  The 
day  after  I  first  saw  you.  And  he  was  so  good,  and 
I  was  so  lonely,  that  I  thought  that — I  cared.  I 
didn't  know  then  what  it  meant — to  care." 

His  eyes,  which  had  been  stern,  softened. 

"  And  now  that  you  know,"  he  asked,  "  what  are 
you  going  to  do?" 

She  twisted  her  fingers  nervously. 

"  I  don't  know,"  she  faltered.  "  What  shall  I  do, 
Justin?" 

"  Oh,  my  dear,"  he  said,  brokenly,  "  Anthony  is 
my  friend.  I  can't  steal  you— like  a  thief — in  the 
night " 

Her  lips  quivered.  "  I  knew  that — you'd  say  that 
I  am  glad — you — said  it." 

236 


GLORT  OF  TOUTH 

He  turned  away.  "  If  you  knew  how  hard  it  is  for 
me  to  say  it." 

She  laid  her  little  hand  on  his  arm. 

"  If  you  only  won't  be  angry  with  me." 

He  turned  back  to  her.  "  I  am  not  angry,"  he 
said,  "  only  I  have  been — all  sorts  of  a  fool." 

She  sank  down  hopelessly  on  a  broken  stone  bench, 
backed  by  evergreen  trees.  "  You  haven't  been  a 
fool,"  she  said,  "  I  should  have  told  you.  But  I 
couldn't.  Diana  wouldn't  let  me." 

"  What  did  Diana  have  to  do  with  it  ?  " 

"  She  said  that  Anthony's  friends  ought  to  know 
me  before  the  engagement  was  announced." 

"  So  you  and  she  have  talked  it  over,  and  Sophie, 
I  suppose — and  how  many  others  ?  "  His  laugh  was 
not  good  to  hear. 

"  Oh,  please.  I  don't  think  any  of  us  could  have 
guessed  that — things  would  have  turned  out  like 
this.  I  didn't  dream  how  you  felt  and  how  I  felt  un- 
til the  other  night,  when  you  tried  to  give  me  the 
little  ring.  Then  I  knew." 

"That  you  loved  me?" 

"  No.  That  you  loved  me.  I — I  didn't  kno\*  the 
other  until  to-day  when  you  said — '  Come.'  " 

"  Didn't  you  know  that  day  in  the  rain  ?  " 
237 


GLORT  OF  TOOTH 

"  No,  oh,  no.  I  thought  it  was  just  because  we 
were  both  young,  and  good  friends,  and  happy  to- 
gether." 

"  And  I  thought  it  was  because  our  spirits  met— 

in  the  storm." 

He  flung  himself  down  beside  her.  "  To  me  the 
whole  thing  seems  monstrous.  Anthony  is  years  too 
old  for  you,  even  if  you  loved  him.  And  you  don't, 
love  him." 

"  Yet  I  can't  break  a  promise,  can  I  ?  " 

He  moved  restlessly. 

"  If  you  told  him,  he  would  release  you,  of  course. 
But  somehow  I'd  feel  an  awful  cad  to  have  Anthony 
think  that  I  had  taken  you  from  him." 

''How  do  you  think  I  should  feel?"  The  color 
flamed  in  her  cheeks.  "  Don't  you  know  that  a 
woman  has  just  as  fine  a  sense  of  honor  in  such 
things  as  a  man  ?  " 

As  she  made  a  movement  to  rise,  he  caught  at  the 
floating  ends  of  her  white  veil,  and  held  them,  as  if 
he  would  thus  anchor  her  to  himself. 

"  Forgive  me,"  he  pleaded.  "  I'm  afraid  I'm 
too  desperately  unhappy  to  know  what  1  am 
saying." 

"  I  know — I'm  unhappy,  too." 
238 


GLORT  OF  TOUTH 

With  the  fatalism  of  youth  they  had  accepted 
their  tragedy  as  final.  He  still  held  the  end  of  her 
veil  in  his  hand,  but  her  face  was  turned  away  from 
him. 

A  little  breeze  came  from  the  west,  and  there  was 
a  dark  line  of  cloud  below  the  gold. 

"  We  shall  have  to  go  home  on  the  train,"  Justin 
said,  as  he  noted  the  whitecaps  beyond  the  bay. 
"  There's  too  much  wind  to  make  it  safe  for  us  to 
fly." 

"  Then  we  must  go  now.     It  is  very  late." 

"  I  can  telephone  Sophie  from  the  gatekeeper's 
house.  It's  on  the  other  side  of  the  church.  Arid 
I'll  telephone  to  the  men  to  come  after  the  hydro- 
plane." 

She  assented  listlessly,  and  they  walked  on. 

The  church,  when  they  reached  it,  showed  itself 
an  ancient  edifice.  Built  of  English  brick,  it  had 
withstood  the  storms  of  years.  Its  bell  still  rang 
clearly  the  call  to  Sunday  service,  and  at  its  font 
were  baptized  the  descendants  of  the  men  who  slepv 
in  the  old  cemetery. 

As  they  reached  the  steps,  a  man  who  was  dig- 
ging a  grave  hailed  them.  "  If  you  and  your  wife 
would  like  to  look  in,"  he  said  to  Justin,  "  you  can 

239 


GLORT  OF  TOUTH 

bring  the  key  to  me  at  the  gate.  I'll  be  there  whea 
you  come." 

He  unlocked  the  door  for  them.  They  heard  his 
retreating  footsteps,  and  knew  that  they  were  alone. 
Then  Justin  spoke  with  quickened  breath.  "  That  is 
<as  it  should  be — my  wife " 

Out  of  a  long  silence  she  whispered,  "  Please — 
we  must  not — we  must  not " 

"  Surely  we  have  a  right  to  happiness " 

She  had  left  his  sid^,  and  her  voice  seemed  to 
come  faintly  from  among  the  shadows  :  "  Hasn't 
everybody  a  right  to  happiness  ?  " 

"  Why  should  we  think  of  everybody — it  is  my 
happiness  and  yours  which  concerns  us — sweet- 
heart." 

She  did  not  answer,  and,  following  her,  he  found 
that  she  had  entered  one  of  the  high-backed,  old- 
fashioned  pews,  and  was  on  her  knees. 

Hesitating,  he  presently  knelt  beside  her. 

It  was  very  still  in  the  old  church — the  old,  old 
church,  with  its  history  of  sorrow  and  stress  and 
storm.  One  final  blaze  of  light  illumined  the  stained 
glass  window  above  the  altar,  and  touched  the  bent 
heads  with  glory — the  bright  uncovered  head  amd 

the  Ceiled  one  beside  it. 

240 


GLORT  OF  YOUTH 

Then  again  came  dimness,  darkness — silence. 

They  were  in  the  vestibule  of  the  church  before  he 
spoke  to  her. 

"  Did  you  pray,"  he  asked,  "  for  me?  " 

"  I  prayed  for  all  men  and  women — who  love " 

He  laid  his  hands  on  her  shoulders  and  gazed 
down  at  her  with  all  of  his  heart  in  his  sad  young 
eyes.  "  There  must  be  some  way  out  of  this,"  he 
said.  "  Surely  God  can't  be  so  cruel  as  to  keep  us 
apart.  Why,  we  are  so  young,  dear  one,  and  there's 
all  of  life  before  us — think  of  all  the  years." 

The  look  with  which  she  met  his  glance  had  in 
it  all  the  steadfastness  of  awakened  womanhood. 
"  You  said  out  there  that  I  could  be  brave  and 
patient.  Help  me  to  be  brave — big  brother." 

"  Don't,"  he  said,  hoarsely ;  "  don't  call  me  that. 
It's  got  to  be  all  or  nothing.  But  whatever  comes, 
whether  you  marry  me  or  marry  Anthony — I'm  going 
to  love  you  always.  I'm  going  to  love  you  until  I 
die,  Bettina." 


241 


CHAPTER  XVIII 

PENANCE 

MISS  MATTHEWS'  cold  proved  to  be  broa- 
chitis,  and  Bettina  insisted  on  nursing  her 

"  Please  let  me,"  she  said  to  Anthony  the  morn- 
ing after  her  flight  with  Justin.  "  I  suppose  I'm  in 
disgrace,  anyhow,  and  this  shall  be  my  penance. 
Only  it  won't  be  very  severe  punishment,  for  I  shall 
love  to  take  care  of  her." 

"  What  good  is  penance  if  you  aren't  penitent  ? 
I'm  perfectly  sure  that  if  that  young  rascal  should 
ask  you  to  go  again  you'd  go,," 

"  It  was  glorious." 

"  But  very  dangerous." 

She  shrugged  "  You  do  dangerous  tnmgs  every 
day.  Doesn't  he,  Sophie  ?  " 

"  Of  course." 

"That's  different  I  do  such  things  to  help 
others." 

"  And  I  do  them  to  please  myself." 

"  And  to  please  Justin  ?  "    There  was  an  impatient 


PENANCE 

note  in  his  voice.  "  I  have  told  him  that  he  must 
not  ask  you  again,  Bettina." 

"  What  did  he  say  ?  " 

"  He  didn't  say  a  word."  Anthony  smiled  at  the 
memory.  "  He  just  looked  at  me  as  if  he  would 
like  to  punch  my  head,  and  turned  on  his  heel  and 
left  me." 

"  Are  you  angry  with  him  ?  "  anxiously. 

"  He's  angry  with  me." 

"  Oh,  dear ! "  Betty  sighed.  "  Sophie  gave  me  a 
terrible  lecture  when  I  came  home  last  night;  didn't 
you,  Sophie  ?  And  now  you  and  Justin  have  fallen 
out,  and  I'm  the  cause  of  all  the  trouble.  I'll  go 
and  look  after  Letty  Matthews,  and  you  can  learn  to 
love  me  when  I'm  gone." 

In  spite  of  the  lightness  of  her  tone,  there  was  a 
quiver  in  her  voice  which  brought  both  of  them  to 
her  feet. 

"  My  dear  child ! " 

"  Betty  dear " 

Bettina  smiled  at  them  with  misty  eyes.  "  Please 
let  me  go,  and  when  I  come  back  everything  will  be 
straightened  out — and  we'll  all  live — happy — ever 
after " 

Nothing  that  they  could  say  would  change  her 
243 


GLORT  OF  YOUTH 

decision,  and  they  were  vaguely  troubled  by  it, 
feeling  that  she  had  erected  between  herself  and 
them  some  barrier  of  reserve  which  they  could  not 
break  down. 

Sophie  voiced  this  in  a  worried  way  when  Bettina 
had  gone  up  to  pack  the  little  bag  which  Anthony 
was  to  convey  with  her  precious  self  to  Miss  Mat- 
thews. "  Perhaps  I  shouldn't  have  said  so  much, 
but  when  she  came  she  seemed  so  unconscious  of 
the  dreadfulness  and  danger  that  I'm  afraid  I  scolded 
a  bit." 

"  She's  such  a  child  !  Do  you  think  she  will  ever 
grow  up  ?  " 

"  Of  course.  Diana  feels  that  she  has  many 
womanly  qualities " 

Anthony,  standing  by  the  window,  fixed  his  eyes 
steadily  on  the  blue  distance  as  he  asked  : 

"  What  do  you  hear — from  Diana?" 

"  I've  a  letter."  Sophie  rummaged  among  the 
papers  on  her  desk.  "  And  there's  a  bit  at  the  end 
that  will  please  you — you  know  Diana  and  her 
enthusiasms " 

"Yes,  I  know " 

His  head  was  still  turned  away  as  she  opened  ths 
thick  folded  sheets. 

244 


PENANCE 

"  Shall  I  read  it  to  you  ?  " 

"  Please." 

"  She  says  she  likes  the  hotel,  and  the  people, 
akhough  she  doesn't  see  much  of  them.  But  this  is 
the  part  you'll  appreciate : 

" '  There's  a  wonderful  bit  of  woodland,  Sophie, 
back  in  the  hills,  and  every  day  I  go  there  and 
dream.  I  thought  for  a  while  that  I  had  lost  my 
dreams — but  now  they  are  coming  to  me  again  in 
flocks — like  doves.  And  yesterday  came  the  best 
dream  of  all.  I  have  been  trying  to  think  what  I 
could  do  with  my  future,  and  I've  thought  of  this : 
I'll  build  a  place  up  here  in  the  forest  where  An- 
thony's sick  folk  can  come  when  they  begin  to  get 
well,  and  thus  I  can  finish  the  work  which  he 
begins '  " 

She  paused,  as  Anthony  faced  her.  "  Why  didn't 
she  write  that  to  me  ?  "  he  demanded,  almost  roughly. 
"  Didn't  she  know  it  would  mean  more  to  me  than 
to  you — than  to  anybody ?  " 

Then  with  the  sudden  consciousness  that  he  was 
showing  his  heart  he  stammered,  "  Forgive  me — but 
you  know  what  I  think — of  Diana  ?  " 

Sophie  was  infinitely  tactful.  "  Of  course  I  know 
what  you  think  of  her — she's  the  most  wonderful 

245 


GLORT  OF  YOUTH 

woman  in  the  whole  wide  world  ;  and  that's  a  great 
plan  of  hers— to  have  a  haven  for  your  conva- 
lescents." 

He  made  no  answer,  but  just  stood  very  still, 
looking  out,  and  when  Bettina  came  down  with  her 
little  bag,  they  went  away  together. 

Miss  Matthews  in  a  gray  flannel  wrapper  was 
shivering  over  an  inadequate  fire. 

"  Why  aren't  you  in  bed  ?"  the  doctor  asked. 

"  Because  there  is  no  one  to  answer  my  bell,  and 
no  one  to  wait  on  me — and  I'm  perfectly  sure  that 
if  I  ever  let  myself  go  to  bed  I  shall  die." 

"  Nonsense,"  briskly.  "  I've  brought  Betty  back 
with  me,  and  she's  going  to  stay  and  see  that  you're 
made  comfortable." 

Miss  Matthews'  face  brightened.  "  She's  the  only 
person  in  the  world  that  I'd  have  fussing  over  me." 

"  I  shall  stay  here  and  boss  you  to  my  heart's  con- 
tent," Bettina  told  her. 

"Oh,  dear,"  Miss  Matthews  sighed  rapturously, 
"how  good  that  sounds.  I — I  want  to  be  bossed, 
I'm  so  tired  of  telling  other  people  what  to  do—- 
that last  day  at  school  I  thought  I  should  go  to 
pieces." 

"  Well,  you're  not  going  to  pieces,"  Anthony  a* 

24.6 


PENANCE 

sured  her  ;  "  you're  going  to  bed.  And  when  I  come 
back  I  shall  expect  to  find  you  asleep." 

Bettina,  coaxing  Miss  Matthews  to  be  comfortable, 
brushed  her  hair  in  front  of  the  revived  hre. 

"  What  pretty  hair  you  have,"  she  said,  as  she 
held  it  up  so  that  the  light  might  shine  upon  it. 
"  What  makes  you  spoil  it  by  doing  it  up  in  that 
tight  knot  ?  " 

"  I  don't  know  any  other  way,"  wailed  Miss  Mat- 
thews. "  I've  never  had  time  to  be  pretty." 

"I'm  going  to  braid  it,"  said  Bettina,  "and  by 
evening  it  will  be  waved." 

Miss  Matthews  submitted,  luxuriously.  "  It  seems 
so  nice  to  have  some  one  fussing  over  me.  I  don't 
believe  anybody  ever  brushed  my  hair  before/' 

Bettina.  having  hunted  out  a  box  of  her  own  be- 
longings, was  trying  different  colored  ribbons  on  the 
little  lady's  pale  brown  locks. 

"  Do  you  know,  Letty,  pink  is  your  color  ?  Yes, 
it  is.  Blue  makes  you  look  ghastly.  Now  I'm  go- 
ing to  tie  this  twice  around  your  head  so  that  it  will 
hide  all  the  tight  pigtails — I  got  that  idea  from 
Diana." 

As  she  finished  the  somewhat  elaborate  process, 

there  came  steps  outside. 

247 


GLORT  OF  YOUTH 

"  It's  just  me,"  said  the  voice  of  the  little  captain, 

Bettina  peeped  through  the  door,  and  announced 
*  Miss  Matthews  is  sick." 

"  I  know.  I  met  Anthony  Blake,  and  he  told  me ; 
and  what  I  want  to  know  is,  can  I  do  anything ? '' 

"  Nothing — thanks." 

"  Yes,  he  can,"  said  the  hoarse  voice  of  the  invalid. 
"  He  can  come  in.  If  he  doesn't  mind  my  head,  I 
shan't  mind  him." 

The  captain,  entering,  found  Miss  Matthews  in  a 
big  chair,  her  feet  covered  by  a  steamer  rug,  her 
gray  flannel  apparel  hidden  by  a  white  wool  shawl 
which  had  belonged  to  Betty's  mother,  and  topping 
all  was  the  wonderful  head-dress  of  rose-colored  rib- 
bon, beneath  which  Miss  Matthews'  plain  little  peaked 
face  looked  out  wistfully. 

"  Well,  now,"  said  the  captain,  as  he  shook  hands, 
<c  that  pink  becomes  her,  don't  it  ?  " 

Miss  Matthews  blushed.     "  Betty  fixed  it" 

"I  always  did  like  bright  things  on  wimmen," 
said  the  captain,  earnestly,  "  and  I  like  that  pink." 

"  Of  course  you  do,"  said  Betty ;  "  all  men  like 
pink,  except  those  who  like  blue,  and  now  you  must 
go  away,  for  I've  got  to  put  my  patient  to  bed." 

"  Don't  you  cook  anything  for  her,"  said  the  cap- 


PENANCE 

tain,  as  he  backed  out  of  the  door,  his  eyes  still 
gloating  over  the  rosy-beribboned  lady  on  the  hearth- 
rug. "I'll  bring  you  over  a  bowl  of  hot  chowder 
to-night,  and  if  there's  anything  else  you  want,  you 
just  let  me  know." 

"  Delia  will  look  out  for  the  other  things,"  said 
Betty  ;  "  she's  going  to  send  little  Jane  to  help  me. 
But  we  shall  be  very  glad  to  have  the  chowder." 

With  Miss  Matthews  asleep  at  last,  Bettina  sat 
down  to  write  a  note  to  Justin. 

It  was  very  brief,  and  began  abruptly  : 

"  I  am  going  to  tell  Anthony.  I  lay  awake  all 
night  and  thought  it  out.  It  wouldn't  be  fair  for  me 
to  marry  him — unless  he  knew.  I'd  get  to  be  just  a 
shivery  shadow,  Justin,  afraid  that  he  would  find  that 
I  didn't  love  him — that  I  loved  somebody  else. 

"  But  I  can  never  tell  him  with  his  grave  eyes 
watching  me,  so  I'm  going  to  write,  now — to-night. 
It  almost  seems  as  if  poor  Letty  had  been  made  a 
sort  of  instrument  of  Providence  so  that  I  could  be 
here  at  this  time.  I  couldn't  stay  at  Diana's  with 
everything  over  between  me — and  Anthony. 

"  Oh,  Justin,  will  he  ever  want  to  be  friends  with 
us  again  ?  Will  Diana  ever  forgive  us  ? 

"  I  wish  you  were  here.  Yet  you  mustn't  be  here 
249 


GLORT  OF  TOUTH 

—not  until  everything  is  settled.  Somehow  1  don't 
dare  think  that  we  can  ever  be  happy.  It  doesn't 
seem  right  to  think  of  it,  does  it  ? 

"  But  I  love  you" 

She  gave  her  note  to  the  little  captain  when  he 
came  with  the  chowder. 

He  brought  something  beside  the  chowder.  In  a 
square  box,  smelling  of  sandalwood,  was  an  exquisite 
kimono  of  palest  pink  cr§pe,  embroidered  with  wis- 
teria blossoms. 

"  It  has  been  lying  in  an  old  trunk  for  years,"  he 
exulted,  as  he  shook  it  out  before  her  delighted  eyes. 
"  When  I  saw  her,"  he  nodded  toward  the  door  of 
the  inner  room,  "  when  I  saw  her  with  that  pink  rib- 
bon in  her  hair,  it  just  came  to  me  how  nice  it  would 
be  if  she  had  a  wrapper  or  somethin'  to  go  with  it. 
And  after  I  got  home  I  went  rummagin'  around  un- 
til I  found  this." 

"  It's  lovely,"  said  Bettina ;  "  she'll  be  simply  crazy 
over  it,  captain." 

"  The  funny  part  of  it  is  that  I  bought  it  in  foreign 
lands,  thinking  that  some  day  I  might  get  married,  and 
I'd  give  it  to  my  wife — and  now  I'm  givin'  it  to  her." 

Bettina  sparkled.  "Oh,"  she  said,  "I  believe 
you're  in  love  with  her,  captain." 

250 


PENANCE 

The  captain  sat  down  in  a  chair  by  the  fire. 
54  Well,"  he  said  earnestly,  "  it's  like  this.  I  ain't 
ever  thought  of  her  that  way,  exactly.  It  always 
seemed  to  me  that  she  knew  so  much,  and  that  I  was 
such  a  rough  old  fellow.  But  lately — well,  she's 
been  lonely,  and  she  ain't  been  well.  And  all  of  a 
sudden  it  has  kind  o'  seemed  to  me  that,  if  I  ain't 
smart,  I've  got  a  tender  heart,  and  I'd  know  how  to 
make  a  soft  nest  for  her  to  live  in,  and  it  seems  to 
me  that  maybe,  after  all,  she  might  throw  me  in 
along  with  all  the  rest  of  the  reasons  for  getting  mar- 
ried. I  guess  most  men  are  sort  of  thrown  in.  Of 
course  the  wimmen  don't  know  it,  but  what  they  get 
married  for  is  to  have  a  parlor  of  their  own,  and  a 
kitchen  of  their  own,  and  somebody  to  fuss  over,  and 
it  don't  make  much  difference  what  man  they  hang 
their  tender  affections  on,  just  so  he  provides  the 
kitchen  and  parlor.  Now  here's  Letty  Matthews,  all 
tired  out  with  teaching,  and  this  is  my  time  to  step 
-n.  If  she'll  ever  take  me  she'll  take  me  now,  and 
as  soon  as  she's  well  enough  to  hear  me  say  it,  I'm 
going  to  ask  her." 

"  If  Letty  marries  you,  it  will  be  because  she  loves 
you — she's  that  kind.  She  d  die  sooner  than  take  a 

man  for  what  he  could  give  her." 

251 


GLORT  OF  YOUTH 

The  captain's  face  fell.  "  Oh,  Lord,"  he  groaned, 
*she  won't  take  me  just  for — myself " 

"  You  try  and  see." 

"  If  you  can  put  in  a  good  word  for  me,"  the  cap- 
tain urged  anxiously,  "  you  do  it" 

"  When  a  man  wants  to  marry  a  woman,"  said  his 
young  adviser,  "there's  just  one  way  to  get  her. 
He  must  just  keep  at  it,  captain." 

The  captain  stood  up.  "  Well,  what  I  want  to  say 
is  this — I  shan't  ever  look  at  my  garden  without 
thinking  of  her  sittin'  some  day  among  the  flowers, 
I  shan't  ever  eat  a  meal  without  thinking  how  nice 
she'd  look  pourin'  out  my  coffee  in  a  nice  bright 
dress,  and  I  shan't  ever  go  for  a  day's  fishin'  without 
seein'  her  in  the  other  end  of  the  boat.  And  every 
time  I  shut  my  eyes,  I'll  think  of  her  wearin'  pretty 
things  like  my  mother  used  to  wear.  Why,  I've  got 
money,  that  I  can't  ever  use,  just  lying  in  the  bank 
and  waitin'  for  somebody  to  come  and  spend  it. 
And  while  I  like  my  own  way  of  doin'  things,  I  can 
get  a  likely  man  to  help  around  the  house." 

"A  man?" 

"  Yep.  I  couldn't  ever  boss  a  maid.  And  I  ain't 
goin'  to  let  her  " — he  jerked  his  head  toward  the  inner 
door—  "  I  ain't  goin'  to  let  her  drudge  and  cook  and 

252 


PENANCE 

scrub.  So  I'll  get  some  lad  that's  been  a  ship's  cook^ 
and  don't  like  the  sea,  and  we'll  keep  things  nice  for 
her,  and  she  can  fuss  around  the  garden  and  make 
calls  on  the  neighbors  and  sit  with  me  when  I  smoke. 
For  wimmen,  after  all,"  concluded  the  wise  little  man, 
"  are  liked  best  by  the  men  when  they'll  listen  A 
talkin'  woman  may  catch  a  man,  but  the  kind  that 
holds  him  is  the  kind  that  sits  and  listens." 

He  went  away  after  that,  and  Bettina  carried  the 
pink  robe  to  Miss  Matthews.  "  Oh,  Letty,  dear,"  she 
said,  "  just  see  how  gorgeous  you're  going  to  be." 

She  opened  the  box,  and  let  out  a  whiff  of  foreign 
fragrance.  But  when  the  beautiful  pale-tinted  thing 
was  laid  across  the  bed,  and  Bettina  had  explained 
that  it  was  the  captain's  gift,  Miss  Matthews  looked 
solemnly  at  her  friend.  "  If  you  think  I'm  going  to 
wear  that,"  she  croaked,  hoarsely,  "  you're  mistaken." 

"  Of  course  you're  going  to  wear  it." 

"  Of  course  I'm  not.     I— I'd  be  afraid." 

"  Afraid— oh,  Letty." 

"Yes,  I  would.  I've  never  worn  such  things.  I'd 
be  afraid  I'd  get  a  spot  on  it,  and  it  wouldn't  come 
out.  Now  when  a  woman  like  me  has  a  thing  like 
that  she  just  lays  it  away  to  look  at  Then  she  always 
knows  that  she  has  one  lovely  garment.  But  i*  she 

253 


GLORY  OF  YOUTH 

wears  it,  she  feels  that  the  day  will  come  when  it  win 
be  gone,  and  then — she  won't  own  one  beautiful 
thing  in  the  wide  world — not  one  single  beautiful 
thing." 

Bettina  bent  over  her  soothingly.  "  There,"  she 
said,  "  you  wear  it  once,  Letty,  and  then,  if  you  wish, 
you  can  put  it  away." 

Late  at  night,  Anthony  came  on  his  last  round  of 
calls  and  urged  that  Bettina  should  have  a  nurse  to 
take  her  place.  But  Bettina  refused. 

"  I  took  care  of  mother  alone,"  she  said.  "  I  can 
surely  do  this." 

Every  moment  that  she  was  with  him  she  was 
conscious  of  the  difference  in  her  attitude  toward 
him.  She  had  a  nervous  fear  that  he  might  notice 
the  change  in  her,  that  he  might  read  her  heart  with 
his  keen  eyes. 

But  he  seemed  preoccupied,  and  just  before  he 
went  away  he  said  : 

"  You  haven't  promised  me  one  thing,  Bettina," 

"  What,  Anthony  ?  " 

"  That  you  won't  fly  again  with  Justin,  I  think  I 
shall  have  to  ask  that  you  make  it  a  definite  promise" 

"  Suppose  I  won't- — promise." 
254 


PENANCE 

"  I  think  you  will,"  he  said,  in  his  decided  way, 
"  You  and  I,  all  through  our  lives,  will  each  have  to 
defer  to  the  wishes  of  the  other.  If  I  knew  that  a 
thing  worried  you  greatly  I  am  sure  I  should  refrain 
from  doing  it — I  should  like  to  know  that  you  felt 
that  way  about  me — Bettina." 

Something  of  the  old  tender  quality  had  crept  into 
his  voice.  Once  more  they  were  alone  in  the 
shadowy  room — but  outside  now  was  the  darkness  of 
the  night  instead  of  the  darkness  of  the  storm.  Per- 
haps some  memory  of  her  first  impulsive  response  to 
his  wooing  cam$  to  him  as  he  took  both  of  her  hands 
in  his,  "  There's  some  barrier  between  us  of  late," 
he  said.  "  I'm  a  plain  blunt  man,  and  I  don't  know 
what  I  may  have  said  or  done.  Have  I  hurt  you  in 
any  way,  child  ?  " 

Here  was  Fate  bringing  opportunity  to  her.  This 
was  the  moment  for  revelation,  confession. 

But  she  could  not  tell  him. 

She  stood  before  him  with  bent  head. 

"  You  haven't  hurt  me,  but  there  is  something  I 
should  like  to  say  to  you.  May  I  write  it — An- 
thony?" 

He  put  a  finger  under  her  chin  and  turned  her  face 
up  to  him. 

255 


GLORT  OF  YOUTH 

"  Are  you  afraid  of  me — dear  ? " 

"Oh,  no " 

"  Then  tell  me  now " 

"  Please— no." 

For  a  moment  he  studied  her  drooping  face,  then 
he  patted  her  on  the  cheek.  "  Write  it  if  you  must 
-—but  you're  making  me  feel  like  an  awful  bear, 
Bettina." 

He  sighed  and  turned  away. 

She  put  out  her  hand  as  if  to  stop  him,  but  drew 
It  back.  Then  she  followed  him  into  the  hall,  and 
stood  watching  him,  with  the  light  from  the  old 
lantern  again  making  a  halo  of  her  fail  hair.  But 
this  time  she  did  not  go  down  to  him  in  the  dark- 
ness. The  spell  was  upon  her  of  a  pair  of  mocking 
eyes,  and  of  a  voice  which  had  sung  with  her  celestial 
harmonies. 


CHAPTER  XIX 

HER  FATHER'S  RING 

IT  was  late  the  next  night  before  Bettina  found 
time  to  write  a  letter  to  Anthony.  The  town 
clock  had  struck  ten,  and  Miss  Matthews  was  asleep 
in  the  inner  room.  As  Bettina  settled  herself  at  her 
desk  there  came  through  the  open  window  the  fra- 
grance of  the  sea — the  night  was  very  still ;  she  could 
hear  across  the  harbor  the  beat  of  the  music  in  the 
yacht  club  ballroom,  and  there  was  the  tinkle  of  a 
mandolin  on  some  anchored  boat 

She  found  it  difficult  to  put  on  paper  the  things 
which  she  decided  must  be  said.  Striving  to  ex- 
plain she  tore  up  sheet  after  sheet,  then,  growing 
restless  at  her  repeated  failure,  she  rose  from  her 
desk  and  crossed  the  room  to  the  cabinet  in  the 
corner.  In  one  of  the  drawers  was  a  packet  of  let- 
ters from  her  mother.  They  were  exquisite  in 
phrasing  and  in  sentiment  She  wondered  if  she 
might  not  borrow  from  them  something  of  their 
grace. 

As  she  opened  the  drawer,  her  eyes  fell  on  the  lit- 
257 


GLORT  OF  YOUTH 

je  carved  box.  Mechanically  she  reached  for  it,  and 
touched  the  spring.  Then  she  stood  staring  down  at 
her  father's  ring  I 

The  words  which  she  had  once  said  to  Diana 
echoed  insistently  in  her  ears :  "  People  who  can  love 
many  times,  who  can  go  from  one  person  to  another, 
aren't  worth  thinking  about." 

Why — she  was  like  her  father!  He  had  loved 
once,  and  then  he  had  loved  again — and  he  had 
broken  her  mother's  heart ! 

Shuddering,  she  flung  the  ring  from  her,  and  it 
foiled  under  the  cabinet  She  knelt  to  grope  for  it, 
and,  having  found  it,  she  shut  the  box.  But,  like 
Pandora,  she  had  let  out  a  whole  army  of  evil 
fancies,  and  they  continued  to  oppress  her. 

When  she  went  back  to  her  desk  she  could  not  write, 
and  at  last  she  put  away  her  papers  and,  wrapping 
herself  in  her  long  white  coat,  climbed  to  the  cupola. 

She  had  slept  there  many  times  with  her  mother. 
With  only  the  stars  above  them,  and  on  each  side  a 
view  of  the  wide  stretches  of  the  sea,  they  had  talked 
together,  and  Bettina  had  learned  the  beauty  of  the 
older  woman's  nature ;  having  suffered  much,  she 
had  forgiven  everything. 

"  Your  father,"  she  would  say,  "  was  like  a  child, 
258 


HER  FATHER'S  RINO 

seeking  the  pot  of  gold  at  the  end  of  the  rainbow. 
He  was  always  looking  for  romance,  forgetting  that 
the  most  wonderful  romance  is  that  of  the  hearth- 
stone and  of  the  quiet  heart  If  he  had  ever  really 
loved  he  would  have  known  the  joy  of  self-sacrifice, 
of  self-effacement — but  he  did  not  love " 

"  Love  is  self-sacrifice."  Such  had  been  the 
verdict  of  the  woman  who  had  given  all,  and  who 
had  received  nothing.  It  was  a  hard  philosophy, 
acquired  after  years  of  dreariness,  and  the  child  had 
listened  and  absorbed  and  believed.  She  had  heard 
nothing  of  love's  fulfilment,  of  the  raptures  of  mutual 
tenderness.  Hence  she  had  been  content  with  An 
thony's  somewhat  somber  wooing,  until  that  mo- 
ment when  she  had  drifted  with  Justin  through  in- 
finite space,  and  had  learned  the  things  which 
might  be. 

The  thought  of  herself  as  mistress  of  Anthony's 
big  house  by  the  sea  weighed  heavily  upon  her. 
In  those  great  rooms  she  would  move  softly  for  the 
rest  of  her  days.  Anthony  would  work  and  read 
and  ponder,  and  when  he  was  at  Harbor  Light  she 
would  sit  lonely  through  the  gray  winter  evenings, 
and  the  sad  summer  twilights^  But  with  Justin — oh, 
the  limitless  possibilities  ! 

259 


GLORT  OF  YOUTH 

With  him  each  day  would  bring  its  wealth  of  vivid 
experience — there  would  be  always  the  glory  of  his 
strength,  the  uplift  of  his  radiant  youth  ! 

She  put  the  vision  from  her.  So  had  her  father 
striven  for  joy,  and  he  had  missed  all  the  great  mean« 
ings  of  life — and  she  would  not  be  like  her  father. 

The  wind  was  rising,  and  wailed  fretfully  above 
the  waters.  The  stars  were  blotted  out. 

Bettina  shivered.     What  a  dark  world  it  was  ! 

She  rose  and  went  down-stairs.  Again  she  sat 
down  to  her  desk.  But  this  time  she  wrote  rapidly, 
and  the  letter  that  she  wrote  was  not  to  Anthony ! 

When  she  had  sealed  and  stamped  it,  she  crept 
down  the  shadowy  stairway,  thence  to  the  narrow 
street 

The  mail  box  was  at  the  corner,  and  she  sped 
toward  it ;  as  she  came  back  on  flying  feet,  a  whisper 
reached  her  from  the  darkness  of  the  garden — a 
whisper  which  made  her  heart  stand  still. 

"Betty " 

"Justin " 

He  emerged  from  the  shadows.  "  I  didn't  dare  to 
hope  I  should  see  you.  I  ran  away  from  the  yacht 
club  dance — and  I'm  due  back  there  now.  But  I 
wanted  you.  I  think  I  must  have  wished  so  hard 

260 


HER  FATHER'S  RING 

that  I  wished  you  here.  I  wouldn't  ring  for  fear  I 
should  wake  poor  Miss  Matthews." 

His  eager  whisper  met  no  like  response.  "  You 
shouldn't  have  come,"  she  said,  dully. 

He  bent  down  to  look  at  her.  Under  the  light 
from  the  street  lamp  he  could  see  the  disorder  of  her 
fair  hair,  the  frightened  look  in  her  eyes. 

"  Dear  one — what  is  it  ?  " 

"You  mustn't  call  me  that.  Did  you  get  my 
letter?" 

"  Yes.  That's  why  I  came — I  knew  that  by  this 
rime  you  would  have  written  to  Anthony — that  you 
were — free " 

"  But  I  haven't  written  to  Anthony." 

"  You  haven't  ?  Wasn't  that  the  letter  you  just 
mailed  ?  " 

"  No — I  was  mailing  a  letter  to  you " 

A  sudden  fear  clutched  him.  "  What  did  you 
have  to  say  to  me  ?  " 

"  That — oh,  Justin,  I  can't  give  Anthony  up " 

"Why  not?" 

"  Oh We  can't  talk  here.  Come  up-stairs 

quietly — we  mustn't  disturb  Letty." 

She  glided  ahead  of  him,  and  when  he  came  into 

the  shadowy  room  she  was  standing  by  the  cabinet 

261 


GLORT  OF  YOUTH 

"I've  something  to  show  you,"  she  said,  and 
opened  the  carved  box  and  held  it  out  to  him. 

"  It's  my  father's  ring,"  she  said  ;  "  he  broke  my 
mother's  heart — and  I  won't  break  Anthony's." 

Then,  in  halting  sentences,  she  told  him  how  that 
day  she  had  come  upon  the  ring.  She  told  him  her 
mother's  history.  And  he  listened,  and  insisted  at 
last,  tenderly,  that  she  had  made  mountains  out  of 
mole-hills.  But  he  found  her  obstinate. 

"  I  must  not  break  my  promise,"  she  insisted. 
"  Happiness  could  never  come  to  us." 

And,  white  and  wistful  in  the  face  of  his  flaming 
arguments,  she  held  to  her  determination  until  he 
left  her. 

He  had  turned  away  wrathmlly,  and  had  reached 
the  top  of  the  winding  stairway,  when  he  heard  her 
sobbing. 

He  came  back  swiftly,  and  gathered  her  in  his 
arms. 

"  You're  mine,"  he  said,  holding  her  close.  "  You 
know  that,  Betty." 

She  drew  back  from  him.  "  Please,"  she  begged, 
and  so  he  let  her  go,  and  made  his  way  blindly  out 
of  the  room. 

Miss  Matthews  sleeping  feverishly,  became  aware 
262 


HER  FATHER'S  RING 

above  the  sighing  of  the  wind  of  an  intermittent 
sound  of  woe. 

She  sat  up  and  listened,  put  one  foot  out  of  bed, 
then  the  other,  and  throwing  on  her  old  gray  wrap- 
per, wavered  toward  the  threshold  of  the  door 
between  the  two  rooms. 

By  the  flickering  light  of  the  candle  which  burned 
on  Bettina's  desk  she  could  see  the  little  shaking 
white  figure  on  the  floor. 

"  Betty  child/'  she  said  in  a  hoarse  whisper,  "  dear 
child — what's  the  matter  ?  " 

"  Oh,"  Bettina  sat  up  and  pushed  her  hair  back 
from  her  tear-wet  face,  "  oh,  I've  waked  you  up.  I 
think  I  just  forgot  that  there  was  any  one  in  the 
whole  wide  world  except  myself  — " 

The  expression  on  her  tragic  face  told  keen  Miss 
Matthews  that  there  was  some  deep  trouble  which 
needed  help. 

''You  come  right  into  my  room,"  she  said,  "1 
don't  dare  stay  up  another  minute.  But  I  couldn't 
sleep  if  I  tried,  with  a  storm  coming,  and  you  can 
tell  me  all  about  it " 

But  when  she  was  settled  luxuriously  once  more 
among  her  pillows,  and  with  Betty  curled  up  at  the 

foot  of  the  bed,  an  awkward  silence  fell  between  them, 

263 


GLORT  OF  TOUTH 

At  last  Betty  said,  "  Justin  Ford  was  here.  He's 
in  love  with  me — Letty — but  I  sent  him  away " 

"  Why  did  you  send  him  away  ?  " 

"  Because — because  I'm  not  going  to  marry  him, 
Letty " 

"  Why  not " 

"There's  some  one  else.  Some  one  who  gave 
me  these — Letty " 

She  lifted  her  left  hand  with  its  burden  of  spark- 
ling jewels. 

"  Who  on  earth  ?  "  Miss  Matthews  demanded 

"  Anthony." 

"  Anthony  Blake  f  " 

"Yes.' 

Miss  Matthews  dropped  back  limply. 

"  You'll  have  to  tell  me  from  the  beginning,"  she 
said,  faintly.  "  I  can't  quite  grasp  it " 

And  Bettina  told — of  her  loneliness,  of  Anthony's 
wonderful  offer,  and  of  her  glad  acceptance  of  it. 

"  Well,  your  mother  would  have  been  delighted," 
Miss  Matthews  said ;  "  but  somehow  it  doesn't  seem 
right." 

"Why  not -*" 

"  Oh,  I'd  fixed  it  up  that  you  were  going  tr 
marry  Justin  Ford.  Captain  Stubbs  and  I  watched 

264 


HER  FATHER'S  RING 

you  that  day  we  went  fishing,  and  if  ever  two  young 
things  seemed  to  be  in  love — well " 

"  I — we  are  in  love,  Letty." 

"  Then  why  in  the  world  are  you  going  to  marry 
Anthony  Blake  ?  " 

"  Because  I've  promised — and  I  can't  be  like  my — 
father.  And  I  can't  hurt  Anthony — not  when  he  has 
been  so  good  to  me." 

She  was  sobbing  again,  and  into  the  eyes  of  the 
little  woman  who  had  never  had  a  daughter  came  a 
look  of  motherly  solicitude. 

"  Dear  child,"  she  said,  "  if  you  are  just  going  to 
marry  Anthony  Blake  because  you  are  grateful, 
don't  you  do  it.  No  man  wants  a  woman  who  feels 
that  way — and  you  wouldn't  make  him  happy " 

"  But — I've  sent  Justin  away — and  he's  angry 
with  me.  That  is  why  I  was  crying  when  you 
found  me " 

She  was  on  her  knees  now  beside  the  bed,  and 
the  old  maid's  arms  were  about  her. 

"  There — there,  dearie,  you've  thought  too  much 
about  it,  and  you've  come  to  believe  that  it's  the 
things  you  like  to  do  which  are  wrong.  And  it's 
really  the  other  way." 

Miss  Matthews  was  thinking  rapidly.     There  was 

265 


GLORT  OF  YOUTH 

some  mystery.  Anthony  Blake  was  in  love  with 
Diana  Gregory.  He  had  always  been  in  love  with 
her.  No  one  need  try  to  tell  her  that  he  was  not, 
for  she  knew.  Then  why  was  he  engaged  to  Betty, 
and  why  had  Diana  gone  away  ? 
She  had  a  sudden  inspiration. 
"Listen,  Betty,  there's  just  one  person  who  can 
straighten  things  out,  and  that  person  is  Diana 
Gregory,  Men  aren't  any  good  at  a  time  like  this. 
They  think  with  their  heads,  but  women  think  with 
their  hearts,  and  that's  the  kind  of  thinking  that  you 

need  most  now " 

"  But,  Letty " 

Miss  Matthews  waved  her  away.  "  You  go  and 
write  to  Diana  and  mail  it  to-night,  and  then  come 
back  and  keep  me  company.  I'm  afraid  of  the 
storm." 

It  was  at  that  very  moment  that  Anthony  was  also 
writing  to  Diana.  When  he  had  left  Bettina  he  had 
gone  straight  to  Harbor  Light  and  into  a  little  inner 
office  where  he  was  guarded  from  all  intruders  by 
the  assistant  who  sat  in  the  anteroom.  Not  even  a 
telephone  could  sound  its  insistent  note  in  this  place 
where  the  doctor  gained,  in  a  reclining  chair,  his 

few  brief  moments  of  rest,  or  where  he  worked  out 

266 


HER  FATHER'S  RING 

the  intricacies  of  perplexing  problems.  Now  and  then 
he  saw  a  patient  there,  but  rarely.  Usually  he  shut 
his  door  against  all  distracting  influences,  and  gave 
his  attention  to  the  things  which  concerned  himself 
alone. 

What  Sophie  had  told  him  about  Diana  had  sent 
his  thoughts  flying  to  the  wonder-woman  up  there 
in  the  woods.  Even  when  he  had  talked  to  Bettina 
he  had  felt  the  consciousness  of  his  thought  of  her. 

Out  of  a  full  heart  he  wrote,  holding  back  nothing, 
and  when  he  had  sealed  and  stamped  his  bulky  mis- 
sive, he,  like  Bettina,  went  forth  to  mail  it. 

As  he  passed  through  the  garden  a  sudden  gust 
of  wind  scattered  a  shower  of  rose  petals  in  his  path. 
That  there  were  storms  in  the  distance  was  evidenced 
by  the  low  rumble  of  thunder  and  the  vivid  flashes 
of  light. 

It  was  on  nights  like  this  that  his  patients  grew 
restless — poor  abnormal  things  they  were,  afraid  of 
life,  afraid  of  death,  seeing  in  wind  and  rain  and  in 
the  battle  of  the  elements  the  terrors  of  the  super- 
natural. 

But  the  night  fitted  in  with  Anthony's  mood.  He 
still  wore  his  white  linen  office  coat.  His  hat  was 

off,  and  his  gray  hair  was  blown  back  from  his  fore- 

267 


GLORT  OF  YOUTH 

head.  The  salt  air  exhilarated  him.  He  felt  a  sud- 
den lightness  of  heart.  He  wanted  to  shout  like  a 
boy.  He  had  been  grave  for  so  long — but  now  his 
message  had  gone  forth  to  Diana — to-morrow  she 
would  read  it,  and  in  two  short  days  the  answer 
would  come. 

He  made  his  way  to  the  beach ;  the  vivid  flashes 
showed  the  heaving  blackness  of  the  waters — the 
waves  came  in  with  a  sullen  roar. 

He  thought  of  the  night  when  he  had  stood  there 
with  Diana,  and  when  the  moon  had  made  a  silver 
track.  To-night  there  was  no  light — except  Minot's 
— like  a  star.  "  I-love-you,"  it  said  to  the  lonely  man 
who  stood  there  in  the  darkness. 

From  somewhere  in  the  garden  a  voice  called 
him,  then  a  nurse  came  runnings 

"I  saw  you  go  out,"  she  panted  ;  "perhaps  you'd 
better  come,  doctor — they  are  getting  all  worked  up 
about  the  storm." 

Thus  was  his  life  made  up  of  duty.  There  was 
never  an  uninterrupted  moment.  His  strength  was 
always  being  drawn  upon  to  uphold  the  weakness  of 
others.  To-night  his  whole  nature  craved  the  tumult 
of  the  wild  night.  Yet  he  must  calm  himself  to  meet 
the  needs  of  those  who  leaned  upon  him. 


HER  FATHER'S  RING 

As  he  turned  to  follow  the  nurse,  a  big  car  whirled 
through  the  gate,  and  there  sounded  the  trilling 
laughter  of  girls,  the  deeper  jovial  bass  of  young 
men. 

Beneath  the  brilliantly-lighted  entrance  of  Harbor 
Light  the  car  stopped,  and  as  Anthony  came  up, 
Sara  and  Doris  descended  with  much  shaking  out  of 
filmy  dancing  frocks. 

Sophie,  with  seeming  unconsciousness  of  the 
havoc  which  the  rain  had  wrought  on  her  lovely 
black  gown,  made  a  smiling  explanation  to  An- 
thony. 

"  Justin  and  Bobbie  tried  to  get  the  top  up — but 
something  caught  and  I  thought  we  should  all  be 
drenched.  And  then  your  Harbor  Light  shone  out 
to  welcome  us " 

Anthony  was  glad  that  they  had  come.  He  craved 
the  lightness  and  brightness.  He  seemed  suddenly 
to  be  one  of  them  again — not  a  sad  and  somber  being 
set  apart.  He  had  a  sense  of  relief  in  Bettina's  ab- 
sence. It  was  as  if  her  youth  and  beauty  showed 
the  contrast  of  his  age. 

He  took  them  up  to  his  sitting-room,  then  excused 
himself  to  make  his  rounds.  "I'm  going  to  have 
something  sent  up  lot  you  to  eat — I  know  what  slino 


GLORY  OF  TOUTH 

fare  they  give  at  the  club  on  the  nights  of  the  dances 
I'll  be  with  you  soon." 

While  they  waited  for  him  Sara  played ;  Bobbie 
and  Doris  danced — and  Justin  talked  with  Sophie. 

He  looked  worn  and  white,  and  a  line  cut  deeply 
into  his  forehead. 

"  I  owe  you  an  apology,"  he  said,  "  for  yesterday. 
But  I  couldn't  help  it  Bettina  was  so  little  and 
lovely — you  know  I  wouldn't  harm  a  hair  of  her 
head " 

Something  in  his  voice  made  Sophie  lay  her  hand 
on  his.  "  My  dear  boy,  my  dear  boy  — —  " 

"  I'm  awfully  hard  hit,"  he  said,  "  but  she — she's 
turned  me  down.  I  fancy  it  was  our  last  flight  to- 
gether. Do  you  remember  Browning's  Last 
Ride'  — 

"  'And  heaven  just  prove  that  I  and  she, 

Ride,  ride — together — forever  ride  —  *  t 

"  Well;  my  heaven  will  be  a  place  where  she  and 
I  shall  drift  through  infinite  space— together " 

He  stood  up,  Sara  was  coming  toward  them — a 
brilliant  little  figure  in  a  flame-colored  gown. 

"  I'm  not  going  to  bore  you  with  my  worries," 
Justin  said,  quickly — "  but — I— I  wish  you'd  be  aw- 
fully good — to  Bettina." 

270 


HER  FATHER'S  RING 

Sophie  carried  away  with  her  that  night  the  vision 
of  his  tragic  young  face,  and  before  she  went  to  bed 
she  wrote  to  Diana,  and  her  letter  ended  thus  : 

"  Oh,  dearest  girl,  oh,  dearest  girl,  what  have  we 
J«?t).e,  what  have  we  done  — — '. " 


CHAPTER  XX 

THE  "GRAY  GULL" 

morning  after  the  storm  Justin  went  forth, 
A     moodily,  for  his  morning  flight. 

He  found  opposition,  however,  to  his  ascension. 
•'  Wait  until  the  afternoon,"  was  the  advice  given 
him ;  "  there's  a  nasty  wind." 

He  would  not  listen,  but  he  delayed  his  departure 
preferring  to  start  alone,  and  eventually  the  other 
aviators  drifted  off,  and  he  made  the  "  Gray  Gull  " 
ready. 

Going  down  to  the  pier  for  a  last  peep  at  the 
weather,  he  was  hailed  by  Captain  Stubbs. 

"  I  am  going  to  take  Anthony  Blake  out  for  a  day's 
fishin',"  the  little  man  said,  as  his  motor  boat 
chugged  comfortably  within  easy  talking  distance. 
''  He  telephoned  last  night  that  he  wanted  a  day 
away  from  his  work,  and  I  said  that  the  fish  would 
be  running  after  the  rain.  I'm  always  mighty  glad 
to  have  him  go  with  me.  He's  a  born  fisherman. 

272 


THE  "GRAT  GULL" 

His  great-grandfather  and  mine  fished  together  on 
the  banks,  and  our  grandfathers  were  part  owners  in 
the  same  schooner.  But  Anthony's  father  went  to 
the  city  and  studied  medicine,  and  his  son  followed 
in  his  footsteps,  so  that's  the  way  the  Blake  boys  got 
switched  off  from  fishin'  as  a  business.  But  it's  in 
their  blood." 

"  Look  here,"  Justin  interrupted,  "  I  want  to  ask 
you  a  question,  captain,  and  it's  about  Anthony. 
Did  you  ever  think  he  was  in  love  with  Diana 
Gregory  ?  " 

"  Well,"  the  captain  meditated, "  I  ain't  ever  thought 
much  about  it.  But  Miss  Matthews  sees  a  lot,  and 
she  told  me  once  that  Anthony  Blake  wouldn't  ever 
look  at  any  other  woman  but  Diana,  and  that  Diana 
was  just  keeping  him  on  the  string." 

"  I  can't  exactly  fancy  Diana  as  that  sort  of 
woman," 

"  Well,  it  ain't  anything  against  a  woman  that  she 
don't  know  her  own  mind,"  was  the  captain's  phil- 
osophical reflection.  "  Most  men  don't  know  their 
own  mind  when  it  comes  to  marryin'.  Only  the  dif- 
ference is  this :  a  man  loses  his  head  and  asks  a  girl, 
and  then  he  wonders  if  she's  going  to  make  him 
happy.  And  a  woman  hesitates  about  sayin'  '  Yes.' 

273 


GLORT  OF  TOUTH 

but  when   she   once   decides,   she  sticks  to  a  man 
through  thick  and  thin." 

In  spite  of  his  gloom  Justin  smiled.  "  Where  did 
you  learn  it  all,  captain  ?  You  are  as  wise  as  if  you 
had  been  married  to  a  half  dozen  wives." 

"  There's  a  sayin',"  the  captain  explained,  "  that 
a  sailor  has  a  wife  in  every  port.  That  ain't  true. 
Sailors  as  a  rule  are  constant  men.  But  they  see  a 
lot  of  wimmen  creatures,  and  they  learn  that  there 
ain't  much  difference,  when  it  comes  to  lovin',  be- 
tween a  Spanish  lady  who  flirts  with  her  eyes,  and  a 
Boston  lady  who  flirts  with  her  brain.  They're  all 
after  the  same  thing,  and  that's  a  home,  with  a  big 
H,  and  it's  a  credit  to  them  that  they  are — otherwise 
we  men  wouldn't  ever  know  when  to  settle  down." 

"  Yet  it's  because  of  a  woman  that  some  of  us  never 
settle  down."  Justin's  young  eyes  were  looking  out 
stormily  upon  the  gray  world.  "  It's  because  of 
some  woman  that  we  wander  and  are  never  satisfied." 

The  little  captain  gave  him  a  keen  glance.  "  Well, 
you  won't  ever  have  to  worry,"  he  said  ;  "  all  you've 
got  to  do  is  to  keep  at  it  till  you  find  the  right 
woman.  That's  what  that  Betty  child  said  to  me  the 
other  day.  '  Captain,  if  a  man  wants  a  woman,  he's 
got  to  keep  after  her  until  she  says  '  Yes.'  " 

274 


THE  "GRAT  GULL'* 

"  Did  Betty  Dolce  say  that  ?  " 

«  Yes — she's  a  smart  little  thing." 

But  Justin's  thoughts  were  not  of  her  "  smartness  " 
but  of  her  pathetic  loveliness.  All  night  her  sobs 
had  echoed  in  his  heart  When  he  had  driven  his 
gay  party  home  after  their  stop  at  Anthony's,  he  had 
ridden  for  miles  alone  in  the  storm.  He  had  wel- 
comed the  beat  of  the  rain  in  his  face.  He  had 
yearned  for  some  adventure  which  would  shut  out 
that  vision  of  the  shadowy  room. 

But  no  adventure  had  been  forthcoming,  and  so 
he  had  sought  his  uneasy  couch,  and  had  tried  to 
sleep,  and  had  risen  at  the  first  crow  of  cocks. 

He  brought  his  mind  back  with  difficulty  to  the 
captain.  "  I'm  going  up  this  morning,  captain.  I'll 
wigwag  to  you  and  Anthony  if  you're  outside." 

"  Don't  you  go,"  the  little  captain  advised  ear- 
nestly ;  "  this  isn't  any  morning  to  fly.  There's  all 
sorts  of  storms  about,  and  you  can't  tell  what  minute 
you'll  get  into  one." 

"Didn't  you  like  to  sail  your  ship  m  a  storm—- 
didn't you  like  the  excitement  of  it —  le  battle  with 
the  wind  and  waves  ?  " 

"  That's  different.  I  knew  my  ship  was  seaworthy. 
I  knew  what  I  had  to  face  in  an  ordinary  storm.  But 


GLORT  OF  YOUTH 

you  take  one  of  those  Chinese  typhoons,  or  a  hum 
cane  that  blew  up  from  the  Gulf,  and  I  didn't  enjoy 
it.  Not  a  bit.  I'd  go  miles  to  get  out  of  one,  and  1 
learned  this,  after  I  had  looked  death  in  the  face  a 
hundred  times,  that  foolhardiness  doesn't  pay.  You 
go  slow,  and  wait  for  a  quiet  day." 

Justin  laughed  recklessly.    "  I'll  take  my  chances." 

"  Well,  there's  no  fool  like  a  young  fool."  The 
little  captain  started  his  motor  with  a  jerk,  and  its 
comfortable  chugging  was  at  once  changed  to  an 
angry  snort 

Justin  did  not  at  once  go  back  to  the  sheds.  He 
climbed  a  path  which  led  to  the  adjoining  hotel,  and 
made  his  way  to  the  writing  rooms. 

The  people  who  lounged  on  the  porches  looked  at 
him  curiously  as  he  passed.  Those  who  had  been 
there  longest  whispered  to  the  newcomers  the  magic 
of  his  name.  More  than  one  girl  remarked  the 
beauty  of  the  somber  young  countenance,  and  the 
strength  of  the  straight  young  figure. 

In  the  writing  room  of  the  big  hotel  Justin  wrote 
to  Diana.  It  was  his  last  hope.  He  wrote  hur- 
riedly, using  the  elaborately  monogrammed  house 
paper,  and  his  script  was  interspersed  with  dashes, 
with  now  and  then  a  boyish  blot 


THE  "GRAT  GULL" 

When  he  had  finished  he  went  to  the  desk  of  the 
girl  in  the  corridor  who  sold  post-cards  and  maga- 
zines, and  bought  a  stamp. 

Anthony  was  delayed,  somewhat,  in  starting  out 
with  Captain  Stubbs  by  the  news  that  Miss  Matthews 
was  worse. 

He  found  her  with  a  high  fever,  and  he  also  found 
Bettina  in  a  state  of  agitated  apology. 

"  I'm  afraid  I  talked  to  her  too  late.  But  we — we 
were  afraid  of  the  storm." 

"  She'll  be  all  right  in  a  few  hours,  but  you've  got 
to  get  some  rest.  I'll  send  a  nurse." 

"  No — Sophie  said  she  would  come — early  this 
afternoon — and  then  I  can  sleep — and  I've  had  little 
naps  on  the  couch " 

As  he  turned  to  go  he  stopped  and  said,  with 
some  hesitation  :  "  You  didn't  write  the  letter  to  the 
Big  Bear,  Betty." 

She  blushed.     "  I'm  not  going  to  write  it." 

"Why  not?" 

"  Because — I've  changed  my  mind  about  it — I've 
really  nothing  to  tell  you — and  every  woman  has  a 
right  to  change  her  mind." 

She  tried  to  say  it  saucily,  but  was  not  successful, 
and  he,  vaguely  relieved,  responded,  "  I'm  glad—' 

277 


GLORT  OF  TOUTH 

that  you  are  not  troubled,"  kissed  her  lightly  on  hei 
forehead,  and  went  away.  And  she  looked  after 
him  and  sighed,  and  wondered  if  all  the  years 
which  stretched  before  them  would  be  as  dreary  as 
this. 

The  arrival  of  the  little  captain  broke  in  upon  her 
thoughts.  "You  give  her  these,"  he  said.  "I  can't 
stay  a  minute.  I'm  going  out  with  Anthony  for  a 
day's  nshin'." 

He  rushed  away,  leaving  Bettina  with  her  arms 
full  of  pink  roses. 

She  took  them  in  to  Miss  Matthews.  "Letty," 
she  said,  "the  captain  brought  them.  Isn't  he 
romantic  ?  He  is  making  pink  your  color.  I  think 
it's  dear  of  him." 

Miss  Matthews  blushed.  "  I'd  surely  never  have 
picked  out  Captain  Stubbs  for  the  romantic  kind, 
but  you  never  can  tell." 

"  No,  you  never  can  tell,"  Betty  agreed,  and  stood 
looking  idly  out  of  the  window. 

All  at  once  she  gave  startled  attention. 

"  Letty,"  she  said,  "  Justin  is  flying." 

Miss  Matthews,  half  asleep,  murmured,  "Well, 
:.'m  glad  you're  not  with  him,"  and  Bettina,  recalled 
•o  her  obligations  to  the  invalid,  answered  with  as- 

278 


THE  "GRAT  GULL" 

sumed  carelessness,  "So  am  I,"  and  measured  out 
Miss  Matthews'  medicine,  and  talked  no  more. 

But  her  heart  was  beating  madly  as  she  fol- 
lowed his  flight.  He  was  up  there — alone.  Up 
there  in  that  wonderful  world !  Was  he  thinking 
of  her?  Was  he  hearing,  again,  those  celestial 
harmonies  ? 

To-day  there  was  no  sunshine — but  as  he  circled 
against  the  background  of  moving  clouds  her 
thoughts  went  to  that  wild  hawk  in  "the  wind 
swept  sky." 

She  knew  nothing  of  the  danger.  She  did  not 
know  that,  as  yet,  his  machine  was  not  perfected  to 
a  point  where  it  could  brave  with  immunity  such 
weather  as  was  threatened  by  the  brooding  sky. 
She  only  saw  his  flight — and  her  hurt  heart  craved 
the  place  which  had  been  hers  for  a  few  brief  mo- 
ments of  rapture. 

When  at  last  he  was  out  of  sight,  she  went  about 
her  little  duties,  but  came  back  again  and  again  to 
the  window,  watching  for  the  time  when  he  should 
reappear. 

Anthony  and  the  captain,  half-way  across  the 
harbor,  said  things  about  Justin's  recklessness,  and 
spoke  of  the  danger 

379 


GLORT  OF  YOUTH 

"Some  day  he'll  get  hurt,"  was  the  captain's  con. 
elusion,  "  and  then  he  won't  ever  fly  again." 

"  Yes."  Anthony's  eyes  were  following  the  "  Gray 
Gull,"  which  was  now  beyond  the  harbor  and  head, 
ing  for  the  open  sea  ;  growing  smaller  and  smaller, 
it  was  at  last  a  mere  speck  on  the  horizon. 

Then  the  captain  and  Anthony,  having  reached  a 
place  offshore  which  promised  a  good  catch,  put 
out  their  lines  and  entered  at  once  upon  that  ecstatic 
state  of  watchfulness  which  is  the  heritage  of  the  true 
fisherman. 

The  relief  which  Anthony  felt  from  the  cares 
which  had  oppressed  him  was  magical.  He  was 
sailor  enough  to  love  the  swell  of  the  waves  and  the 
rippling  music  of  the  water  as  it  slipped  under  the 
anchored  boat ;  he  was  fisherman  enough  to  be 
thrilled  by  the  chances  of  capture ;  he  was  artist 
enough  to  gloat  over  the  beauty  of  the  dull  morning 
— the  white  gulls  circling  overhead,  the  black  rocks 
sticking  their  spines  above  the  gray  sea,  a  phantom 
four-masted  ship  sailing  straight  toward  thetn  out  of 
the  mists. 

And  he  was  man  enough  to  think  of  the  woman  he 
loved,  and  to  forget  the  pensive  appealing  child  in 
the  shadowy  room.  He  had  a  vision  of  Diana  up 

280 


THE  "GRAT  GULL" 

there  in  the  forest — strong  of  spirit,  wresting  from  life, 
even  in  her  exile,  the  things  which  were  worth  while. 

As  they  ate  their  lunch  the  little  captain  confided  to 
Anthony  the  hope  of  his  heart.  "  I'm  going  to  ask 
Letty  Matthews  to  marry  me — I  want  to  get  her 
away  from  that  school " 

"  Good.     I'll  dance  at  your  wedding." 

"  When  am  I  to  dance  at  yours  ?  "  the  captain  de- 
manded, ^bluntly.  "  I  should  think  it  was  about  time 
that  you  were  putting  your  furniture  in  that  big 
house  for  Diana  Gregory." 

"Some  of  the  furniture  is  in."  Anthony  slurred 
over  the  greater  question  by  tactfully  emphasizing 
the  lesser.  "  I  had  my  mother's  piano  sent  over 
yesterday,  and  some  of  the  things  for  the  living-room 
and  library.  We  haven't  a  place  for  them  at  Harbor 
Light — and  then  there's  the  china.  I  wish  I  could 
match  up  some  of  those  pieces  of  White  Canton, 
captain.  I  wonder  if  we  could  make  an  exchange. 
I've  a  lot  of  Crown  Medallion  which  would  fill  out 
your  set " 

Having  thus  started  the  little  captain  on  his  chief 
hobby,  Anthony  breathed  a  sigh  of  relief,  and  went 
on  with  his  fishing. 

The  subject  of  the  china  sufficed  to  fill  the  cap- 

281 


GLORT  OF  YOUTH 

tain's  mind  until  the  fish  stopped  biting,  and  they 
decided  to  go  in. 

It  was  just  as  they  began  their*  trip  toward  the 
harbor  that  Justin  came  back. 

The  wind  was  blowing  now  straight  from  the  southl 
and  the  "  Gray  Gull "  was  making  slow  headway 
against  it. 

"  Why  don't  he  come  down  to  the  water  ?  It's 
safer,"  said  the  little  captain,  anxiously.  "  There's 
every  sign  of  a  squall  — — " 

But  Justin  kept  on ;  between  him  and  the  harbor 
was  the  Neck,  with  its  jagged  shore  line  of  rocks. 
He  was  evidently  planning  to  cross  the  strip  of  land 
obliquely,  as,  in  rounding  the  point  to  come  up  the 
harbor,  he  must  get  the  full  force  of  the  wind  — 

As  he  sailed  over  them  they  caught  the  strong  beat 
of  his  motor.  It  seemed,  too,  that  he  waved  his 
hand ;  then  he  left  them  behind,  keeping  close  to 
shore  and  above  that  jagged  line  of  rocks. 

"Oh,  the  fool,"  the  captain  murmured  "Why 
don't  he  get  away  from  the  land  ?  " 

The  wind  came  with  a  mighty  sweep ;  the  air-ship 
gave  a  backward  tilt,  fluttered  for  a  moment  like  a 
bird  in  a  storm — then  shot  down  with  sickening 
swiftness  I 

282 


THE  "GRAY  GULL" 

"  His  motor  has  stopped,' '  the  captain  shouted, 
'-'•  and  he's  lost  control !  If  he  strikes  the  rocks  he's 
done  for ! " 

Down — down  1  They  had  one  glimpse  of  Justin 
struggling  to  free  himself ;  they  saw  him  jump  clear, 
and  the  big  machine  crashed  on  the  beach. 

It  was  the  little  captain  who  forced  his  boat  to 
record  speed,  but  it  was  Anthony  who  went  over  the 
side  and  through  the  breakers  to  where  Justin  lay 
prostrate,  half  in  and  half  out  of  the  water. 

Wet  and  dripping  the  doctor  bent  over  the  boy, 
put  his  hand  to  his  heart  and  felt  it  beating  faintly, 
then  looked  at  the  broken  body  and  said,  unsteadily : 

"  There's  only  a  slim  chance  of  saving  him.  We 
must  get  him  to  Harbor  Light." 

The  accident  had  been  seen  from  the  harbor,  and 
as  the  captain's  boat  shot  around  the  Point  with  its 
precious  burden,  it  met  other  boats  coming  out  to 
meet  it,  and  orders  were  shouted  back  and  forth,  so 
that  when  the  rescuers  reached  the  pier,  there  was  a 
.:ar  ready  for  that  which  had  gone  out  full  of  life  and 
strength  and  which  had  come  back  beaten  and 
bruised. 

The  girls  on  the  porch  of  the  big  hotel  cried  in 
each  other's  arms,  hysterically,  as  the  car  passed, 


GLORT  OF  YOUTH 

and  talked  of  the  way  the  young  aviator  had  locked 
in  the  morning. 

But  far  up  in  a  tall  old  house,  crowned  by  a  cupola, 
was  a  girl  who  did  not  cry.  She  had  seen  the  "  Gray 
Gull "  come  down  and  had  guessed  at  the  catas- 
trophe. She  had  fainted  away  quietly,  and  lay  now 
on  the  floor  by  the  window  with  all  of  her  fair  hail 
shaken  over  her  still  white  face. 


CHAPTER  XXI 

BROKEN  WINGS 

IT  was  Sophie  who  found  Bettina<  She  came  in 
quietly,  wondering  at  the  silence,  then  growing 
suddenly  afraid  she  passed  swiftly  to  the  inner  room 
to  discover  Miss  Matthews  still  asleep  and  Bettina 
in  a  huddled  heap  on  the  floor. 

She  picked  the  girl  up  in  her  strong  armss  and 
carried  her  back  to  the  big  room  and  brought  water 
and  bathed  her  face,  murmuring  anxiously,  "My 
dear,  what  is  it  ?  What  has  happened  ? "' 

And,  after  a  little  while,  Bettina  whispered,  "  Jus- 
tin," and  then,  a  little  louder,  "  Justin,"  and  coming 
to  the  surface  through  the  darkness  for  a  third  time, 
she  clutched  Sophie's  arm,  and  cried,  "  Oh,  is  he 
killed?  Is  Justin  killed?" 

Holding  the  shuddering  little  creature  close,  Sophie 
protested :  "My  dear,  what  is  it  ?  What  have  you 
dreamed  ?  " 

"  I  didn't  dream.     Oh,  Sophie,  I  didn't  dream.     I 

saw  him  up  in  the  air,  and  I  saw  him — fall '" 

285 


GLORT  OF  TOUTH 

So  it  had  come.  So  it  came  to  all  men  who  flew. 
Every  bit  of  blood  was  drained  from  Sophie's  face. 
But,  fighting  for  composure,  she  held  out  such  hope 
as  she  could.  "  My  dear,  are  you  sure  ?  How  did 
you  know  ?  " 

"  I  was  standing  by  the  window  when  he— came 
down " 

"  But  there  may  have  been  some  one  to  help  him 
—and  he  was  over  the  water — and  he  can — 
swim " 

Footsteps  were  ascending  the  stairs  lightly  but 
hurriedly.  The  two  women  turned  their  white  faces 
to  the  door.  Captain  Stubbs  stood  on  the  threshold. 

"He's  hurt,"  he  said.  "Justin's  hurt.  He's  at 
Harbor  Light — and  he's  asked  for  Betty — -and  An- 
thony says  that  she  must  come." 

In  a  big  room  that  overlooked  the  sea  lay  the 
bird  man  with  broken  wings.  After  that  first  mur- 
mured plea  for  "  Betty  "  he  had  showed  no  sign  of 
returning  consciousness. 

On  the  floor  above  him  they  were  getting  ready 
for  the  operation.  Nurses  and  doctors,  in  ghostly 
white,  had  set  themselves  to  various  preparatory 
tasks.  And  presently  everything  was  in  readiness 
for  the  great  Dr.  Anthony 

286 


BROKEN  WINGS 

He  was  delayed  by  a  white-faced  slip  of  a  things 
whom  he  led  at  once  into  his  private  office,  leaving 
Captain  Stubbs  outside  as  a  proud  and  patient  sen- 
tinel. 

When  he  had  closed  the  door,  Anthony  took  the 
little  cold  hands  in  his.  "  He  is  going  to  get  well, 
Betty,  if  my  skill  can  make  him.  I've  got  to  operate 
at  once — and  there's  a  big  chance — the  other 

way "  He  hesitated,  then  said,  gently,  "  You 

love  him,  child?  " 

"  Yes — oh,  yes." 

"  And  he  loves  you — how  blind  I've  been  !  How 
much  trouble  might  have  been  saved  if  I  had 
known." 

There  was  no  bitterness  in  his  voice,  only  a  great 
regret 

"  And  now,"  he  went  on,  "  I'm  going  to  save  him 
for  you,  if  I  can.  And  I've  sent  a  nurse  to  take  care 
of  Letty  Matthews  so  that  you  can  have  Sophie  with 
•ou.'r 

He  had  thought  of  everything.  It  came  to  Bet- 
tina  then  what  he  meant  to  the  world — this  great 
Dr.  Anthony — she  had  hated  his  mission  of  heal- 
ing— and  the  skill  which  might  now  mean  to  her 

a  lifetime  of  happiness  instead  of  unutterable  woe. 

287 


GLORT  OF  TOUTH 

She  tried,  faltering,  to  tell  him  something  of  what 
she  was  feeling. 

"  Hush,  dear  child.  You  could  not  know.  And 
now  you  must  be  very  brave,  and  pray  your  little 
white  prayers  for  Justin,  and,  please  God,  we  shall 
bring  him  through." 

Then  he  had  gone  away  and  Sophie  had  come, 
and  the  dreadful  time  of  waiting  had  begun. 

Sophie,  who  had  walked  in  the  Valley  of  the 
Shadow  with  her  own  beloved,  knew  the  right  things 
to  say  to  the  child  who  clung  to  her. 

"  Dearest,  think  of  all  you  will  mean  to  him  when 
he  gets  well.  Why,  there's  never  an  opportunity  for 
a  woman  like  that  of  having  the  man  she  loves  de- 
pendent upon  her — you  can  do  all  of  the  lovely  little 
things  for  him." 

"  But  if  he  should  not — get  well  ?  " 

"  You  are  not  to  think  of  that." 

"  I  must  think  of  it." 

"  Hush,  dear,  don't.  You  can't  help  him  or  your- 
self by  crying — I  know  how  you  feel — but  think  of 
this.  If  you  should  lose  him,  you  will  still  have 
known  love  at  its  best.  And  you  will  never  be 
content  with  a  lesser  thing.  Oh,  Betty,  child,  it  is 
the  shallow  people  who  ask,  '  Is  it  better  to  have 

288 


BROKEN  WINGS 

loved  and  lost  than  never  to  have  loved  ? '  How  can 
there  be  any  doubt?  The  woman  who  has  not 
loved  is  only  a  half  creature." 

"I  know.  Oh,  Sophie,  it  seems  such  an  awful 
thing  to  say,  but  if  this  hadn't  happened  I  should 
never  have  been  sure  that  for  me  there  could  never 
be  any  one  else  but  Justin." 

Tactfully,  the  older  woman  led  her  on  to  talk  of  her 
doubts  and  fears,  and  of  her  terror  lest  she  might  deal 
with  love  lightly,  as  her  father  had  done.  And  then 
Sophie  spoke  reverently  of  her  own  perfect  marriage, 

"  It  was  during  his  illness,"  she  said,  "  that  I 
learned  to  know  my  husband.  I  think  I  had  always 
been  a  bit  selfish.  He  had  seemed  so  strong  that  7 
had  heaped  my  burdens  upon  him.  He  wanted  me 
to  be  happy,  so  he  withheld  all  cares  from  me.  But 
the  time  came  when  he  knew  it  was  not  right  to 
withhold  such  cares.  He  knew  that  I  was  to  face 
separation  and  loneliness,  and  so  he  helped  me  to 
get  ready.  Oh,  Betty,  dear,  I  can't  tell  you  how 
wonderful  he  was.  He  knew  that  death  must  come 
to  him,  and  yet  he  never  whimpered.  He  was  a 
brave  soldier  going  down  to  battle,  and  not  once  did 
he  flincho  But  gradually  he  came  to  lean  on  me ; 

once  he  cried  in  my  arms — not  from  fear,  but  because 

289 


GLORT  OF  YOUTH 

he  must  leave  me.  These  things  are  not  easy  to 
speak  of — but  where  at  first  I  had  merely  loved,  I 
came  to  worship.  I  saw  how  he  had  shielded  me, 
and  when  he  left  me  I  had  the  precious  memory  not 
only  of  his  care  for  me — but  of  my  care  for  him — 
and  his  appreciation  of  it." 

There  was  a  silence  in  which  not  only  the  "  white 
prayers  "  of  Bettina  ascended,  but  the  fervent  ones 
of  the  woman  who  had  suffered  and  lost. 

Then  came  a  nurse  with  the  message,  "  Dr.  Blake 
wishes  me  to  say  that  all  conditions  are  favorable,'" 
and  they  permitted  themselves  to  hope. 

Other  people  were  coming  now  to  Harbor  Light — 
great  men  from  the  yachts,  people  from  the  big 
hotels,  fellow-aviators  of  Justin's — the  townsfolk  and 
sailors — children  who  had  worshiped  the  flying 
man  of  the  smiling  countenance. 

But  no  one  was  shown  into  the  inner  office  except 
Bobbie  and  Doris  and  Sara. 

It  was  in  that  first  moment  of  her  meeting  with 
Bettina  that  Sara  blotted  out  the  last  vestige  oi 
smallness  and  of  jealousy. 

She  went  straight  up  to  the  girl  whom  Justin 
loved,  and  put  her  arms  about  her.  "  Oh,  you  poo* 
dear  thing/'  and  they  wept  together. 

290 


BROKEN  WINGS 

Then  Bettina  asked,  "  How  did  you  know  ?  *; 

"  Everybody  knows,"  Sara  said,  hysterically, 
"  Did  you  think  you  could  hide  it  ?  " 

Doris  was  weeping,  too,  in  Bobbie's  arms,  and 
Bobbie's  white,  set  face  showed  what  he  was  feeling 
for  his  friend.  "  Oh,  what  made  him  go  out  on  such 
a  day — of  all  the  crazy  things " 

"I  told  him  not  to,"  said  Captain  Stubbs,  who 
had  kept  hitherto  in  the  background,  "  but  there's  no 
fool  like  a  young  fool,  and  I  said  it  at  the  time.  But 
it  was  God's  own  providence  that  we  were  there 
when  he  fell.  And  if  any  one  can  fix  him  up  it's 
Anthony," 

Bettina  heard,  and  thought  of  her  former  fear  of 
this  place,  which  seemed  now  a  sacred  house  of 
healing.  Was  she  the  same  girl  who  had  railed  so 
bitterly  against  Anthony's  profession  ?  She  felt  that 
she  wanted  to  tell  him  how  great  he  was.  Why,  he 
was  a  wonderful  man — and  he  was  going  to  save 
Justin  as  he  had  saved  others.  Daily  he  fought 
battles  with  death  and  conquered.  He  must  con* 
quer  now  I 

Up-stairs  in  the  operating  room  was  being  played 
a  game  of  skill  which  had  for  its  pawns  human  life 

and  human  reason. 

JQI 


GLORY  OF  rOUTH 

The  worst  trouble  lay  in  the  wounds  about  the 
head.  But  there  were  other  dreadful  complications, 
and  many  times  in  the  hours  that  followed  it  seemed 
that  the  game  was  lost. 

All  through  the  tiresome  ordeal  not  once  did  a 
musde  of  the  great  surgeon  quiver.  Not  once  did 
he  show  dismay  at  that  which  was  most  baffling ; 
not  once  did  he  show  weakness  at  that  which  was 
most  pitiful 

But  when  at  last  his  great  task  was  ended,  his 
face  was  worn  and  gray. 

Yet  as  he  went  to  change  his  clothes,  through  the 
fabric  of  his  weariness  and  of  his  anxiety  ran  a 
thread  of  joy  in  the  thought  that  the  barriers  were 
down  between  himself  and  Diana,  and  that  he  might 
love  her  now  without  reproach. 

When  at  last  he  descended  to  his  little  office,  he 
spoke  hopefully.  "  His  strength  and  youth  are  in 
his  favor — and  I'm  going  to  pull  him  through." 

Yet  he  knew  in  his  heart  that  he  was  flinging  a 
defiance  at  destiny. 

He  arranged  to  keep  Bettina  at  Harbor  Light. 

"  Justin  might  ask  for  you  again,"  was  his  expla- 
nation. 

So  Bobbie  and  Doris  and  Sara  and  Sophie  went 
292 


BROKEN  WINGS 

away  together,  and  when  there  was  no  one  else  to 
hear,  Anthony  said  to  Bettina,  gently,  "  My  dear,  why 
didn't  you  tell  me  ?  " 

Curled  up  in  a  big  leather  chair,  she  spoke  of  her  fear 
of  hurting  him,  of  being  inconstant — like  her  father. 

She  seemed  such  a  child  in  her  blue  serge  suit  with 
its  red  silk  tie,  and  with  the  shady  hat  which  had 
been  pinned  on  hastily  when  the  summons  came. 
But  the  things  she  was  saying  were  womanly  things, 
and  for  the  first  time  since  he  had  known  her  Anthony 
perceived  the  possibilities  of  which  Diana  had  been 
so  sure — this  little  Betty  child,  transformed  by  love, 
would  one  day  be  an  inspiration  and  a  help  to  the 
man  she  would  marry. 

"  If  I  have  hurt  you,"  she  said,  as  she  finished,  "  I 
— I  can  only  ask  you  to  forgive  me.  K  this  had  not 
happened,  I  think  I  should  have — kept  my  promise. 
But  now  you  know — and  you  will  not  want  me  to 
keep  it." 

"  No.  I  do  not  want  you  to  keep  it  Oh,  what 
a  tragedy  we  have  made  of  it  all.  I  might  have 
made  it  so  easy  for  you/' 

"You,  Anthony?" 

"Yes." 

He  sat  silent  for  a  moment,  his  fingers  tapping  the 
293 


GLORT  OF  YOUTH 

arm  of  his  chair,  those  strong  flexible  fingers  which 
an  hour  ago  had  done  such  magical  feats  of  surgery. 
Bettina's  eyes  were  held  by  them. 

"  I  hardly  know  how  to  begin  ;  it  has  to  do  with— 
Diana." 

"Diana?" 

"  I  love  her,  dear  -  " 

"Diana?"  Bettina  spoke,  breathlessly.  "Oh, 
and  does  she  love  you  —  Anthony  ?  " 

"  I  have  always  loved  her  —  but  I  thought  I  had 
lost  her  —  then  when  she  came  back  from  Europe  I 
found  that  she  was  still  free  —  and  that  —  she  cared. 
But  by  that  time  I  had  engaged  myself  to  a  dear 
child  who  really  didn't  love  me  at  all." 

"  But  why  didn't  you  tell  me,  Anthony  ?  " 

"  Because,  my  dear,  I  thought  you  might  be  made 
unhappy." 

To  others  there  might  have  seemed  something 
humorous  in  the  situation  —  in  its  almost  farcical  com- 
plications and  misunderstandings.  But  these  two 
saw  none;  the  issues  were  too  deep,  too  serious; 
death  was  too  near  in  that  upper  room. 

"Was  that  why—  she  went  away-  —  -?"  Bettina 
whispered. 


294 


BROKEN  WINGS 

"  Oh,  write  and  tell  her  to  come  back." 

"  I  have  written.  I  wrote  yesterday.  I  saw  that 
you  were  not  happy.  I  felt  that  I  had  no  right  to 
permit  you  to  marry  me  when  my  heart  was  bound 
up  in  another  woman — as  it  was  bound  up  in  her. 
I  felt  that  in  marriage  there  is  something  which  goes 
beyond  conventional  honor.  As  a  physician  I  have 
seen  much  of  unhappiness — and  I  could  not  sanction 
in  myself  that  which  I  would  not  have  sanctioned  in 
another.  So  I  told  Diana.  I  think  instinct  warned 
me  there  was  some  one  else,  after  your  flight  with 
Justin." 

"  And  now — if  he  gets — well." 

Anthony  stood  up.  "  He  shall  get  well,"  he  said, 
steadily.  "  I  scarcely  dare  think  of  the  things  which 
are  coming  to  you  and  to  me,  dear  child.  But  when 
I  think  of  them  my  heart  says,  '  Thank  God.'  " 

If  she  wept  now  in  his  arms,  it  was  as  a  daughter 
might  weep  in  the  arms  of  a  father — there  was  love 
between  them  at  last,  but  it  was  the  love  of  tried 
friendship,  of  passionate  gratitude  on  her  part,  of 
protective  affection  on  his. 

When  he  had  quite  soothed  her,  she  drew  off  the 
sparkling  rings.  "  These  must  go  back  to  you,''  she 

said ;  "  some  day  you  must  give  them  to  Diana." 

295 


GLORT  OF  YOUTH 

He  shook  his  head.  "I  shall  give  her  pearls. 
She  belongs  to  the  sea,  Bettina ;  she's  the  wife  for  a 
man  of  sailor  instincts  like  myself — -we  love  the 
harbor,  and  the  great  lights  that  are  high  above  it, 
and  the  little  lights  that  are  low — and  so  I  shall  give 
her  pearls. 

"  But  you  must  keep  these,"  he  went  on ;  "  not  to 
wear  on  your  third  finger — Justin,  please  God,  shall 
some  day  look  after  that — but  to  wear  on  your  right 
hand,  as  my  gift  to  you — for  luck  and  a  long  and 
happy  life." 

In  the  evening  they  rode  over  to  see  Miss  Mat- 
thews, and  found  her  sitting  up.  "  I  feel  better,"  she 
said,  "  and  there's  something  in  the  air.  I  want  to 
know  why  I  have  a  nurse,  and  why  Bettina  went 
away  while  I  was  asleep  ?  " 

"And  I  want  to  know,"  said  Anthony,  sternly. 
"  why  you  are  out  of  bed  ?  " 

"Because  I  am  better,"  said  Letty  Matthews; 
"  there's  nothing  in  this  world  that  can  cure  a  per- 
son like  curiosity — and  I  had  to  know  what  was 
going  on." 

So  Anthony  told  her,  and  she  wept  to  think  of  the 
fate  of  the  bird  man  with  the  broken  wings. 

But  she  was  cheered  by  the  coming  of  Captain 
296 


BROKEN  WINGS 

Stubbs.  He  bore  on  a  tray  such  a  supply  of  delicious 
viands  that  Miss  Matthews  urged  that  Bettina  and 
Anthony  should  stay  and  have  supper. 

Bettina  could  not  eat. 

"  Please,  I'm  not  hungry,"  she  said,  and  went  down 
the  winding  stairway,  and  when  she  came  back  her 
arms  were  full  of  roses. 

"  Will  you  let  him  have  them  in  his  room  ?  "  she 
asked  Anthony. 

"  He  shall  see  them  first  when  he  opens  his  eyes," 
Anthony  promised;  "they  shall  carry  all  of  your 
messages  to  him." 

In  the  hushed  room  at  Harbor  Light  there  was 
darkness — and  there  was  the  fragrance  of  many 
flowers. 

Out  of  the  darkness  a  faint  voice  wavered, 
11  Lilacs  ?  " 

The  nurse  bent  over  the  high  hospital  bed. 
'Roses — lovely  ones." 

A  long  silence.  Then,  "  Lovely  ladies  ?  "  said  the 
faint  voice. 

He  could  see  them  with  his  eyes  shut — a  whole 
procession  of  pretty  ladies,  all  floating  in  the  dim- 
ness. Just  their  faces  on  a  broad  band  of  light,  over 
the  gray  mists  rolled  now  and  then  and 
297 


GLORT  OF  YOUTH 

blurred  the  outlines.  Then  the  faces  would  again 
shine  out,  smiling — gay  and  sad,  pensive  and  glad. 

"  Lovely  ladies,"  he  said  again. 

They  followed  him  into  his  dreams,  and  kept  hsm 
company  until  the  pain  began — that  racking,  wrench- 
ing pain  ;  then  they  flew  from  him  and  left  him  alone 
to  suffer. 

After  a  long  time,  when  the  nurse  had  bared  his 
shoulder  and  had  pricked  it  with  something  that  felt 
like  a  pin,  they  came  back — all  those  lovely  faces  ; 
only  now  they  seemed  to  peep  from  behind  clouds 
of  smoke,  heavier  than  the  mists,  and  more  tantaliz- 
ing in  their  concealments. 

So  they  came  and  went  through  the  long  night, 
leaving  when  the  pain  racked  him,  returning  al- 
ways when  the  nurse  did  things  to  his  shoulder  with 
her  little  shining  instrument 

They  fled  from  him,  too,  when  he  opened  his  eyes 
and  saw  hazily  that  there  was  a  light,  and  a  great 
many  flowers,  and  that  Anthony  was  standing  in  a. 
sort  of  bower  of  them. 

.-.  And  Anthony  was  saying  to  some  unseen  person 
who  stood  at  the  head  of  the  bed,  *  Did  he  notice  the 
flowers  ?  " 

•Yes." 

298 


BROKEN  WINGS 

"  Good — you  can  take  them  out  now — nurse." 

He  had  tried  to  tell  Anthony  about  the  pretty 
ladies.  But  they  had  come  back  and  were  whirling 
about  him  on  that  band  of  light — and  there  was  one 
with  dark  hair  with  a  crescent  moon  above  the  part- 
ing— and  there  was  one  who  came  closer  than  the 
others,  and  who  had  hair  that  shone  like  gold,  and  a 
little  white  face. 

"  Betty " 

The  nurse  did  not  catch  the  name — but  Anthony's 
quick  ear  was  at  once  attentive. 

"  She  loves  you,  dear  boy  ;  and  Pm  going  to  make 
you  well,  so  you  may  marry  her," 


299 


CHAPTER  XXII 

THE  ENCHANTED  FOREST 

FAR  up  in  the  hills  the  Beautiful  Lady  went  daily 
to  the  post-office  for  her  mail.j 

It  was  a  long  walk,  and  the  path  skirted  the  edge 
of  the  forest  Leaving  the  path  one  entered  upon  a 
world  of  dim  green  light,  a  world  of  soft  whispering 
sounds,  a  world  of  enchantment ;  and  it  was  into  this 
world  that  Diana's  feet  strayed  as  she  came  and  went. 
It  was  here  she  spent  most  of  her  mornings  ;  it  was 
here  she  found  the  solitude  she  craved. 

The  guests  at  the  mountain  house  called  the 
Beautiful  Lady  exclusive  ;  but  it  was  an  exclusiveness 
which  matched  her  air  of  remoteness,  and  since  such 
friendships  as  she  encouraged  were  with  those  who 
were  lonely  and  tired  and  sick,  she  made  no  enemies 
by  her  withdrawal  from  the  conventional  life  of  the 
place. 

The  lazy  folk  on  the  porch  who  were  content  to 
wait  for  the  mail  bag  which  came  at  noon  by  carrier 
always  watched  with  curiosity  the  departure  and  re- 

300 


THE  ENCHANTED  FOREST 

turn  of  the  stately  woman  who  was  said  to  be  wealthy 
and  of  great  social  eminence.  She  went  alone  and 
came  back  just  in  time  for  lunch,  having  loitered  on 
the  way  to  read  her  letters. 

The  letters,  however,  were  not  always  satisfying. 
They  brought  such  meager  news  of  that  which  lay  so 
near  her  heart  1  Sophie  kept  persistently  away  from 
topics  which  might  be  disturbing ;  Bettina's  girlish 
epistles  really  told  nothing — and  Anthony  wrote  not 
at  all. 

Yet  such  scraps  as  she  could  glean  formed  the 
excitement  of  Diana's  day,  and  always  she  had  a 
vague  and  formless  hope — a  hope  for  which  she 
reproached  herself.  Always  she  hoped  for  a  letter 
from  Anthony. 

She  knew  that  he  ought  not  to  write.  She  knew 
that  if  he  did  write  she  would  not  answer — but  the 
longing  of  her  heart  would  not  be  stilled. 

As  far  as  possible  she  forced  her  mind  to  thoughts 
of  the  future,  and  it  was  thus  she  had  evolved  the 
plan  which  she  had  written  to  Sophie.  It  was  the 
only  way  in  which  her  life  could  be  linked  with 
Anthony's ;  they  would  thus  share  in  a  work  which 
might  continue  in  interest  to  the  end  of  their  days. 

There  were  times,  however,  when  all  of  her 

301 


GLORT  OF  YOUTH 

optimism,  all  of  her  philosophy  failed,  and  when 
her  whole  nature  cried  out  for  reality— not  for 
dreams. 

It  was  on  one  of  these  days  of  depression  that  she 
left  behind  her  the  hotel  piazza  with  its  chattering 
crowd,  and  drifted  somewhat  languidly  across  the 
lawn,  past  the  tennis  courts,  and  out  into  the  moun- 
tain path. 

In  her  modish  frock  of  gray  linen,  with  a  parasol 
of  leaf  green,  she  seemed  to  merge  gradually  into 
the  grayness  and  greenness  of  the  forest  beyond 
She  might  have  been  a  dryad  returning  to  her  tree, 
or  as  an  artist  in  the  group  on  the  porch  remarked, 
"  a  nymph  in  a  Corot  setting." 

How  still  it  was  in  the  forest  I  Even  the  birds 
seemed  to  respect  the  silences,  and  slipped  from 
branch  to  branch  like  shadows.  The  squirrels, 
flattened  heads  downward  against  gray  tree  trunks, 
whisked  up  and  out  of  sight  as  the  intruder  ad- 
vanced. A  strayed  butterfly  went  by  in  a  wavering 
flight,  seeking  the  sunshine  and  the  flowers  of  the 
open  fields. 

Diana  loved  the  forest,  but  more  than  all  she 
loved  the  sea.  She  missed  the  wild  music  of  the 
waves  and  wind.  The  hills  seemed  to  shut  her  in  ; 

302 


THE  ENCHANTED  FOREST 

she  wanted  the  wide  spaces,  the  limitless  expanse 
of  blue — she  wanted  the  harbor  with  its  many  lights. 

Yet  if  Anthony  married  Betty  it  would  be  years 
before  she  would  dare  go  back.  His  work  was 
there,  and  he  must  stay  ;  she  would  be  exiled  from 
the  place  she  loved. 

Her  steps  quickened  as  if  she  would  fly  from  the 
thought.  She  passed  again  beyond  the  edge  of  the 
arching  trees,  and  came  upon  a  winding  road.  Its 
last  curve  brought  her  to  a  little  settlement  of  which 
the  store,  which  was  also  the  post-office,  was  the 
most  imposing  building* 

The  postmistress  knew  her  and  had  the  package 
ready.  "  Lots  of  letters,  two  papers  and  a  half 
dozen  magazines,"  she  said,  cheerily.  "  I  don't  see 
how  you  find  time  to  read  so  many," 

"  I  have  nothing  to  do  but  read,  I  am  not  a 
lucky  busy  person  like  yourself."  Diana  was  smil- 
ing as  she  turned  up  the  corners  of  each  letter  to 
glance  at  the  one  beneath. 

On  top  was  Sophie's  daily  budget,  black-edged 
and  bulky.  Bettina's  showed  a  faddish  slender 
monogram.  Following  was  Justin's — she  knew  that 
boyish  scrawl ;  a  business  letter  or  two,  a  bill,  an 
advertisement,  and  then — her  heart  leaped.  On  the 

303 


GLORT  OF  TOUTH 

;iap  of  a  great  square  envelope  blazed  the  seal  which 
Anthony  had  chosen  for  his  house  of  healing — a 
lighthouse  flashing  its  beacon  over  stormy  waters 

The  little  postmistress  wondered  at  the  radiance 
which  illumined  the  face  of  the  lovely  lady.  Diana, 
in  saying  a  hurried  farewell,  sparkled  like  a  girl. 

"  You've  given  me  such  wonderful  letters  this 
morning,"  she  said,  breathlessly.  "  I  must  run 
away  and  read  them." 

And  she  did  run,  literally,  when  she  had  passed 
beyond  the  limits  of  the  village.  Holding  up  her 
narrow  skirt,  her  parasol  under  her  arm,  her  pre- 
cious burden  of  mail  hugged  tightly,  she  left  the  path, 
and  again  entered  upon  the  enchanted  forest. 

She  knew  of  a  place  where  she  would  read 
Anthony's  letter,  a  warm  little  hollow,  with  a  still 
silver  pool  beyond,  a  pool  which,  with  its  upstand- 
ing reeds  and  rushes,  was  merged  at  its  farthest 
edge  into  a  blurred  purple  background. 

Safe  at  last  in  her  retreat  she  opened  Anthony's 
letter,  forgetting  the  others  in  her  eagerness,  seeing 
only  the  firm,  simple  script  which  crowded  a  dozen 
pages. 

He  began  quietly,  but  evidently,  as  he  wrote, 
Anthony  had  been  swayed  by  emotions  which  had 

304 


THE  ENCHANTED  FOREST 

mastered  him,  and  he  had  written  with  fire  and  in- 
tensity, and,  as  she  read,  her  heart  responded  tremu- 
lously : 

"  DEAR  DIANA  : 

"  Sophie  has  told  me  of  your  plan— your 
wonderful  plan  which  has  to  do  with  my  work  and 
with  me,  and  which  shall  link  our  futures  in  an 
interest  which  shall  be  above  reproach. 

"  It  was  like  you  to  think  of  it,  and  I  shall  not  try 
to  thank  you.  Indeed  you  will  not  want  my  thanks. 
You  and  I  are  beyond  conventional  concealments, 
and  you  know,  as  I  know,  that  the  thing  which  you 
are  doing  is  for  your  own  happiness  as  well  as  for 
mine,  and  I  am  glad  that  it  is  so,  because  your 
happiness  is  the  thing  which  I  most  desire. 

"  I  have  not  wanted  to  think  of  you  up  there  in 
the  hills.  You  belong  to  the  sea,  dear  girl,  and  I 
know  you  are  missing  it,  as  we  are  missing  you.  I 
know,  too,  that,  as  you  read  this,  you  will  say :  '  He 
is  overstepping  bounds.  He  must  not  write  these 
things  to  me.'  But  I  am  going  to  write  them,  Diana, 
for  the  time  has  come  when  we  must  face  the  big 
truths,  and  let  the  half-truths  go. 

"  The  big  truth  is  this — that  you  and  I  love  each 
other.  The  half-truth  is — that  Bettina  loves  me,  and 
that  I  must  not  break  her  heart. 

"  I  am  troubled  about  Bettina.  Certainly  the  child 
is  not  happy.  All  of  her  brightness  has  left  her. 
She  is  pale  and  thin,  and  I  am  too  wise  a  physician 
of  bodies  not  to  know  something,  too,  of  hearts. 
You  may  say  that  my  attitude  has  affected  her ;  that 
she  had  felt  instinctively  the  difference  in  me.  But 

305 


GLORT  OF  TOUTH 

it  is  not  that.  I  am  sure  it  is  not  that.  When  I 
asked  her  to-night  if  there  was  anything  between  us, 
she  faltered  that  she  had  something  to  tell  me  that 
she  would  write. 

"  Perhaps  I  should  wait  until  her  letter  comes,  but 
I  cannot  wait  You  are  so  vividly  with  me  at  this 
moment,  Diana,  that  I  can  almost  hear  your  voice 
calling  above  the  noise  of  the  wind  and  waves.  I 
can  see  you  as  I  like  you  best — all  in  white.  I  can 
feel  your  presence  as  I  felt  it  that  night  in  the  empty 
house  as  you  stood  on  the  threshold  of  that  moon- 
lighted room. 

"  Oh,  dear  girl,  come  back  to  me.  I  must  have 
you  in  my  life.  Otherwise  it  will  be  a  thwarted  life — 
and  a  lonely  one.  For  whether  you  marry  me  or 
not,  I  will  not  marry  Betty.  I  do  not  love  her,  and 
she  shall  not  spend  her  days  as  the  unloved  wife  of 
one  whose  thoughts  are  all  with  a  wonder-woman 
up  in  the  hills. 

"  Can't  you  see  it  as  I  do  ?  We  must  not  so  pro- 
fane marriage,  Betty  and  I.  There  is  no  idea  of 
honor  so  false  as  that  which  holds  a  man  or  a 
woman  to  a  promise  which  has  ceased  to  have 
a  vital  and  a  vivid  meaning. 

"  No  man  has  a  right  to  plan  for  a  home  unless 
Love  is  to  be  the  corner-stone.  These  things  are 
sacred,  and  not  to  be  spoken  of  except  to  those  who 
understand.  But  my  love  for  you  and  your  love 
for  me  would  form  a  barrier  against  all  the  sweet 
and  tender  meanings  for  Betty  of  wifehood  and 
motherhood. 

"Thafs  the  plain  truth  of  it.  I'm  a  blunt  man, 
and  I've  said  it  as  it  has  come  to  me  after  days  oi 
pondering. 

306 


THE  ENCHANTED  FOREST 

"  1  am  not  saying"  these  things  that  I  may  marry 
you.  I  am  saying  them  because  they  are  true. 
Surely  we  can  find  a  way  to  make  Bettina  happy. 
Her  youth  and  loveliness  must  always  win  love, 
The  hearts  of  the  boys  at  the  club  are  all  under  her 
little  feet,  and  Justin— oh,  if  I  only  dared  hope  that 
she  could  care  for  Justin 

"But  marry  her  I  will  not,  even  if  I  go  alone 
through  life. 

"For  me  you  are  the  One  Woman,  Diana.  In 
these  days  of  separation  from  you  I  have  thought 
of  many  things,  but  of  none  more  than  this :  that  we 
men,  having  loved  one  woman,  deceive  ourselves, 
when  we  lose  her,  with  the  thought  that  another  like 
her  may  be  found — but  she  is  never  found,  and  sc 
we  go  through  life  half-men,  unsatisfied,  with  hungry 
hearts. 

"  There's  a  big  storm  coming.  I  wish  you  might 
go  down  to  the  beach  and  walk  with  me  in  the 
wind.  How  often  we  have  walked  together  in  beat- 
ing storms,  Diana,  and  have  gloried  in  them — so  we 
would  face  the  storms  of  life  together ;  so  I  cannot 
face  them  with  any  other — or  alone. 

"  Oh,  girl,  come  back  to  me.  I  need  you.  I  must 
have  you.  I  will  have  you.  You  are  mine. 

"  ANTHONY." 

The  letter  dropped  from  her  fingers.  She  hid  her 
face  in  her  hands.  His  call  echoed  thunderingly  in 
her  ears.  But  she  must  not  listen  ;  she  must  not 

She  yielded  for  the  moment,  however,  to  the 
sweetness  of  his  insistent  demand.  Curled  up  in 

307 


GLORT  OF  TOUTH 

the  warm  little  hollow  she  dreamed  of  the  things 
which  might  be — putting  off,  as  long  as  possible, 
the  moment  of  decision. 

The  other  letters  lay  unheeded  at  her  feet.  All 
friendship  seemed  futile  at  such  a  Line.  What  could 
Sophie,  or  Bettina  or  Justin  say  which  could  match 
those  burning  words  of  her  lover  ? 

The  sun,  rising  higher,  filtered  through  the 
branches  and  fell  like  golden  rain  upon  the  sur- 
face of  the  pool — the  purple  shadows  gave  way  to 
emerald  vistas;  a  trail  of  honey-bees  traveled  un- 
erringly toward  a  hidden  honey  store.  It  was  high 
noon  in  the  forest  1 

Diana,  waking  to  the  fact  that  the  hours  had  flown, 
gathered  up  her  other  letters,  and  opened  the  one 
on  top  of  the  pile.  It  was  Justin's.  What  could  he 
have  to  say  to  her,  this  boy  who  lived  his  life  so 
lightly  ? 

But  when  she  had  read  the  scrawled  words  she 
sat  staring  at  them,  hardly  believing  the  things 
which  had  been  written. 

"DEAR  LADY: 

"  Betty  Dolce  told  me  last  night  of  her  en- 
gagement to  Anthony.  But  it  was  too  late.  You 
see  \t  has  come  to  this  :  that  there  isn't  any  oiv,  in 

308 


THE  ENCHANTED  FOREST 

the  world  for  me  but  Betty — she's  so  little  and  young 
and  sweet,  and  she  has  waked  up  the  man  in  me, 
and  that's  what  no  other  girl  has  ever  done. 

"  But  she  won't  break  her  promise,  and  last  night 
I  left  her  crying,  and  I  can't  stand  the  thought  of  it. 
I  just  can't  stand  it.  When  it  was  only  I  who  suf- 
fered, I  could  get  along,  but  now — why,  it's  Betty's 
happiness  against  all  the  rest 

"  Am  I  doing  a  dishonorable  thing,  Diana,  when  I 
ask  her  to  tell  Anthony  the  truth  ? 

"  You  shall  decide  for  us.  1  cannot  think  clearly. 
I  love  her  too  much. 

"JUSTIN." 


What  had  inspired  Justin  to  write  to  her  like  that  ? 
Did  Betty  know  ?  Did  Sophie  ?  She  went  to  the 
reading  of  the  other  letters  eagerly,  and  when  at 
last  they  lay  before  her,  and  the  whole  pitiful  little 
story  was  revealed,  the  tears  were  running  down  her 
cheeks.  Oh,  the  unhappiness  of  the  dear  young 
hearts — and  the  happiness  which  was  to  come  ! 

Those  who  had  assembled  on  the  porch  of  the 
hotel  in  the  before-luncheon  hour  were  struck  by 
something  unusual  in  the  bearing  of  the  Beautiful 
Lady  as  she  came  toward  them.  All  the  listlessness 
of  the  morning  had  gone.  Her  head  was  up  and  she 
walked  swiftly,  lightly. 

"  She  makes  me  think  of  the  '  Winged  Vk> 

309 


GLORT  OF  YOUTH 

tory,'"  was  the  comment  of  the  observant  artist 
"  She  gives  the  same  impression  of  triumphant 
motion." 

At  other  times  Diana  had  rather  resented  the  in- 
spection of  the  people  on  the  porch.  But  to-day  all  of 
the  faces  looked  friendly — she  felt  that  she  would  like 
to  say  to  them  all,  "  I  am  going  home  to  be  happy." 
But  what  she  really  did  was  to  bow  somewhat  shyly, 
and  to  go  on  with  flaming  cheeks. 

The  artist  looked  after  her.  "  I  wonder  if  she 
knows  that  she  belongs  to  the  goddess  type  of  the 
Golden  Age,"  he  said,  and  sighed. 

It  was  just  at  dusk  that  Diana  stepped  once  more 
within  the  borders  of  the  enchanted  forest,  and  sought 
the  warm  little  hollow  beside  the  pool.  In  her  filmy 
gown  of  midnight  blue  she  moved  like  a  shadow 
among  deeper  shadows — her  neck  and  shoulders 
gleaming  white. 

About  her  were  all  the  eerie  noises  of  the  dark, 
the  little,  little  sounds  of  little,  little  things. 

"  Good-bye,"  Diana  whispered,  "  good-bye— dear 
forest." 

The  sounds  seemed  to  swell  triumphantly  into  a 
love  song — the  weird  and  wonderful  song  of  the 

310 


THE  ENCHANTED  FOREST 

night.  From  bush  and  branch  call  answered  call, 
mate  invited  mate  ;  all  the  wild  things  of  the  wood 
were  voicing  their  need,  each  of  the  other. 

So  the  Beautiful  Lady  left  behind  her  the  sheltered 
hollow  in  the  wood,  and  turned  her  face  toward  the 
i£a.  with  its  beating  storms,  and  she  turned  with  glad  • 
mss. 

It  was  late  the  next  afternoon  when  she  came  at 
las-  to  her  home  on  the  harbor. 

Sophie,  warned  by  a  telegram,  was  waiting  for  her. 

"  Oh,  dearest  dear,"  she  said,  as  they  embraced 
each  other  in  the  garden,  "  you  beauty !  Why, 
Diana,  you  don't  look  a  day  over  twenty." 

"  I'm  so  happy,  Sophie.  Happy  women  are  al- 
ways young.  Oh,  I've  so  much  to  tell  you.  Your 
letter  came  with  all  the  other  letters.  How  silly  we 
have  been !  That's  the  way  with  half  the  troubles 
in  life.  How  easy  it  would  be  to  be  happy  if  only 
we  could  look  into  the  minds  of  other  people." 

Peter  Pan,  hearing  Diana's  voice,  came  to  them, 
tumultuously,  leaping  above  the  nasturtium  borders 
and  the  brilliant  flower  beds. 

Diana  picked  him  up.  "  Think  of  it,  Peter,"  she 
said,  in  her  thrilling  voice  ;  "  you're  going  to  live 
dp  the  road  with  me  for  all  the  rest  of  your  life — 

3" 


GLORT  OF  TOUTH 

in  Anthony's  house,  and  I  am  going  to  live  :here 

too." 

Sophie  gasped.     "  Oh,  has  it  come  to  that?  " 

"  It  has  come  to  everything  that  means  happiness," 

Diana  answered.     "  Let's  go  up-stairs,  Sophie,  where 

we  can  talk." 
As  they  entered  the  house  Delia  came  to  meet 

them.     Her  face  lacked  its  usual  beaming  welcome. 

"  Oh,  my  dear,"  she  said,  "  I'm  glad  to  see  you  so 

much  better,  but  it  is  a  sad  errand  which  has  brought 

you." 

"Sad — what  do  you  mean,  Delia?" 

The  two  women  exchanged  glances,  and  Sophie 

faltered,  "  Didn't  you  get  my  telegram,  Diana  ?  " 
"  Telegram — no,  I've  heard  nothing." 
"  It's  Justin.     He's  dreadfully  hurt.     His  air-ship 

fell,  and  Anthony  has  him  at  Harbor  Light" 

She  sketched  the  details.     "  Betty  is  there^     An- 
thony won't  let  any  one  see  him.     But  he  thinks 

Betty  should  be  within  call." 

"  Oh,  Sophie,  is  it  as  bad  as  that ?  " 

"  It  is  about  as  bad  as  it  can  be,  Diana/' 

When  they  had  talked  it  over,  it  was  decided  that 

Diana  should  call  up  Anthony  and  ask  to  see  Betty 

at  Harbor  Light;   when  she  had   given  the  tele 

312 


THE  ENCHANTED  FOREST 

phone  number  she  found  herself  shivering  with 
expectation.  In  a  moment  she  would  hear  his 
voice ! 

She  was  told,  however,  that  Dr.  Blake  was  out  on 
an  important  case  ;  that  he  would  not  be  back  until 
late. 

"  Perhaps  I'd  better  wait  until  he  returns  before  I 
make  any  plans,"  Diana  told  Sophie,  and  then  Sara 
came  in — a  subdued  Sara,  with  much  of  her  sharp- 
ness modified,  and  they  had  dinner  together,  and 
were  served  by  the  adoring  Delia. 

Alter  dinner  Diana  grew  restless,  and,  wandering 
alone  in  the  garden,  found  her  feet  straying  in  the 
direction  of  Anthony's  house  on  the  rocks. 

Peter  Pan  followed  her,  and  waited  for  her  when 
she  went  in,  having  learned  caution  from  his  last  im- 
prisonment. 

Diana  knew  where  the  key  was  kept,  and  felt  for 
it  behind  a  cornice.  She  let  herself  in  and  shut  the 
door  behind  her.  The  lights  from  the  street  lamps 
showed  that  some  pieces  of  furniture  had  been  placed 
since  her  last  visit.  There  were  rugs  beneath  her 
teet  On  the  table  in  the  hall  was  the  end  of  a 
candle  in  a  quaint  silver  holder,  and  a  cup  contained 
matches. 


GLORT  OF  TOUTH 

She  lighted  the  candle,  and  made  a  tour  of  the 
lower  floor.  In  the  living-room  she  set  two  big 
chairs  side  by  side  on  the  hearth  and  laughed  a  lit- 
tle, fancying  her  head  and  Anthony's  close  together 
In  the  dining-room  were  treasures  of  china — the 
White  Canton  in  unchipped  dozens.  She  set  two 
places  on  the  polished  table,  and  drank  Anthony's 
health  in  a  mystical  cup  of  tea. 

She  ascended  the  stairs.  There  were  massive  beds 
and  massive  highboys  and  lowboys  and  tables  and 
chairs  everywhere,  but  in  the  room  to  which  she  had 
brought  the  lilacs  there  was  nothing  but  a  little  old- 
fashioned  piano,  and  the  gray  pottery  bowl  which  had 
held  her  flowers.  Evidently  Anthony  had  changed 
his  plans,  and  this  place  which  he  had  dedicated  to 
her  was  to  be  used  simply  as  a  sitting-room  or  music 
room  for  Bettina. 

The  candle  flared  and  went  out.  Diana  sat  down 
on  the  old-fashioned  round  stool  in  front  of  the  little 
piano.  Anthony's  mother  had  played  on  that  little 
piano.  It  had  been  his  father's  gift  to  his  bride. 

With  her  hands  resting  on  the  keys  she  sat  and 
looked  out  over  her  beloved  harbor. 

There  was  a  little  silver  moon — Diana's  moon,  the 
crescent  of  the  huntress. 


THE   OTHER   LET 


THE  ENCHANTED  FOREST 

Well,  it  was  Diana's  night !     Her  fingers  struck 
softly  the  chords  of  the  music  she  had  created. 


On  the  other  side  of  the  street,  a  tired  man,  com- 
ing out  of  a  house  where  a  sick  woman  had  needed 
his  services,  halted  and  held  up  his  head. 

He  crossed  the  road  and  entered  the  house. 

The  rugs  deadened  the  sound  of  his  steps.  He 
stopped  on  the  threshold  of  that  upper  room.  He 
could  see  the  faint  outlines  of  the  tall  white  figure ; 
he  knew  the  voice,  the  song. 

"  Diana,  my  dear  girl !  " 

She  turned  and  stood  up. 

"  Anthony — oh,  Anthony,  I  have  come  back— to 


3*5 


CHAPTER  XXOI 

THE  PROCESSION  OF  PRETTY  LADIES 

days  the  procession  of  pretty  ladies  kept 
Justin  company.  Then  they  floated  away  on 
the  rolling  mists,  and  he  found  real  faces  bending 
over  him, — the  nurse's  with  its  fresh  comeliness,  and 
Anthony's  with  a  light  on  it  which  transfigured  it 

One  morning  when  he  waked  a  white  rose  lay  on 
his  pillow. 

"  Did  you  put  it  there,  nurse  ?  " 

"  No.     Miss  Dolce  came." 

On  Anthony's  next  visit  Justin  asked  i  "  Why 
didn't  you  let  me  see  her  ?  " 

"  She  sees  you  every  day.  Just  a  peep  in  at  youi 
door.  But  always  when  you  are  asleep." 

"  But  why  not  when  I  am  awake  ?  '' 

"  It  would  tire  you  too  much,  dear  boy." 

"  Only  let  me  look  at  her." 

So  at  last  Bettina  stood  beside  him,  very  pale,  but 
with  her  eyes  shining. 

Justin  could  not  lift  his  hurt  hands  to  touch  her,  so 
«he  bent  down  and  laid  her  cheek  against  his,  and 


PROCESSION  OF  PRETTT  LADIES 

whispered,  "  When  you  are  well,  we  are  going  to  be 
— married." 

"  I  know — sweetheart" 

"  And — may  I  have  the  little  silver  ring  for  my 
wedding  ring,  Justin  ?  " 

"  Yes,  sweetheart." 

She  was  not  white  now,  but  all  rosy  with  blushes. 
As  she  again  bent  over  him  he  felt  the  thrilling 
power  of  her  youth  and  beauty.  Her  presence  was 
like  wine.,  reviving  him.  Her  words  were  a  loving 
cup  held  to  his  lips. 

"  Oh,  my  Betty,  help  me  to  live/'  he  whispered, 
weakly. 

"  Hush  ;  oh,  my  poor,  poor  boy." 

In  the  weeks  that  followed  it  seemed  as  if  only 
love  were  holding  Justin  back  from  death.  There 
were  days  when  Bettina  was  not  allowed  to  see  him  ; 
there  were  other  days  when  Anthony  dared  not  tell 
her  the  fears  which  assailed  him,  when  he  avoided 
all  of  her  questions,  confiding  only  in  Diana. 

"  There's  an  awful  chance  that  he  will  never  walk,* 

Diana,  very  pale,  asked,  "  Is  it  his  spine  ? " 

"  Yes." 

"  And  he  was  so  strong  and  beautiful " 

**  He  will  never  fly  again,  Diana." 

317 


GLORT  OF  rOUTH 

"  Oh,  poor  Justin  ! " 

*«  And  poor  Betty.  I  wonder  if,  when  all  the  first 
glamour  is  gone,  she  will  be  able  to  stand  the  test." 

"  I  am  sure  she  will.     She  has  been  so  brave." 

"  If  I  know  Justin,  he  won't  let  her  marry  him 
•arhen  he  learns  the  truth." 

"Oh,  Anthony!" 

"  I  haven't  given  up  hope,  however.  His  wonder- 
ful vitality  and  perfect  health  may  bring  about  that 
which  now  seems  impossible." 

Bettina,  since  she  could  not  minister  to  Justin, 
spent  the  days  in  ministering  to  others.  In  the  great 
workshop  where  men  and  women  of  wealth  wove 
rugs  and  made  pottery  as  if  their  bread  and  butter 
depended  upon  it,  she  became  a  familiar  figure.  The 
patients  loved  to  have  her  there,  and  she  went  from 
one  to  the  other,  a  charming  little  helper  in  her  white 
frock,  with  her  air  of  girlish  grace. 

In  those  days  her  beauty  assumed  a  new  aspect 
All  the  petulance  was  gone  from  her  expression — the 
restlessness  from  her  manner 

"  How  lovely  she  is  !  "  said  nurses  and  patients  and 
doctors,  and  they  spoke  not  of  her  physical  beauty, 
but  of  her  loveliness  of  mind  and  of  soul. 

Whenever  she  was  allowed  to  see  Justin  she  came 


PROCESSION  OF  PRETTT  LADIES 

to  him  with  hope  in  her  shining  glance.  And  one 
day  Anthony  let  her  take  the  nurse's  place,  so  that 
for  the  first  time  they  were  alone. 

It  was  then  that  Justin  told  her  of  the  Procession 
of  Pretty  Ladies.  "  Anthony  says  it  was  the  mor- 
phine," he  said,  "  but  whatever  it  was,  they  kept  me 
company  for  days." 

Betty  laughed.  "  You'll  soon  have  a  real  proces- 
sion of  pretty  ladies.  Diana  wants  to  come,  and 
Sophie  and  Sara  and  Doris.  But  Anthony  insists 
that  they  must  wait  until  you  can  sit  up." 

"  When  will  that  be  ?  " 

"  Soon." 

"  How  soon  ?  " 

"  Don't  ask  so  many  questions.  As  soon  as  it  is 
good  for  you,  you  impatient  boy." 

"  I  am  impatient  I  want  to  be  up  and  out  I 
want  to  fly  again  over  the  harbor.  Betty,  all  the 
lovely  days  are  going,  and  I  am  lying  here  like  a 
log." 

Her  heart  seemed  to  stand  still.  She  knew  Ihat 
he  would  never  fly  again.  Anthony  had  told  her 
that  he  might  prepare  her  in  part  for  the  truth.  But 
Justin  must  not  know. 

She  spoke  hurriedly  "  I  should  hate  to  have  you 
319 


GLORT  OF  YOUTH 

fly  again— I  should  always  be  thinking  of  the  time 
I  saw  you  fall." 

"  It's  the  only  thing  I  can  do  well,  Betty." 

"  There  are  so  many  things  that  you  can  do — with 
me." 

He  smiled.     "  What  could  I  do — with  you  ?  " 

"  You  could  build  a  little  workroom  in  the  top  of 
our  house — our  house,  dear  boy ;  and  you  could  sit 
there  and  invent  wonderful  things  * o  make  other  men 
safe  who  go  up  in  the  air,  and  I  could  watch  you  do 
it." 

"  But  why  should  I  be  shut  up,  dearest  ?  I'm  not 
made  for  that  sort  of  thing.  I'd  rather  be  out — in 
the  open." 

There  was  a  note  of  alarm  in  his  voice.  Bettina 
tried  to  laugh  naturally.  "  Because  I'd  rather  have 
you  with  me,  you  venturesome  youth — then  I  should 
know  you  were  safe." 

"  If  anything  could  hold  me  down  it  would  be  you, 
—Betty." 

She  was  silent  for  a  moment,  then  she  said,  with 
hesitation,  "Justin,  dear " 

"Yes?" 

"  I  don't  want  to  wait  until  you  are  well — to  be 

married " 

320 


PROCESSION  OF  PRETTY  LADIES 

As  he  turned  on  her  his  puzzled  glance  the  color 
flooded  her  face.  "  Perhaps  it  isn't  usual  for  a 
woman  to  say — such  a  thing.  Perhaps  I  shouldn't 
say  it.  But — I  want  to  feel  that  I  belong  to  you — I 
want  to  know  that  I  have  the  right  to  be  always  at 
your  side.  I  want  to  know  that — where  you  go — I 
can  go — Justin " 

The  bandages  were  still  on  his  hands  and  arms, 
those  hands  which  yearned  to  take  her  hands,  those 
arms  which  ached  to  enfold  her. 

But  his  eyes  held  a  look  which  was  a  caress. 
"  But  it  would  not  be  fair  to  you,  sweetheart, — to 
spend  your  honeymoon  in  nursing  me." 

"  It  would  be  fair  to  me.  Oh,  Justin,  Justin,  it  isn't 
just  sweetheart  love  that  I  am  giving  you  ;  it  is  wife 
love  and  mother  love — I  feel  sometimes  as  if  you 
were  my  hurt  little  boy,  and  that  I'd  give  my  life  to 
help  you " 

She  was  not  crying,  but  her  voice  held  an  emotion 
which  was  deeper  than  tears  ;  her  steadfast  eyes  met 
his ;  her  little  hands  were  laid  lightly  on  the  covers 
above  his  heart. 

And  suddenly  he  saw  her  enthroned — a  woman, 
not  a  child — a  wife,  not  a  playmate.  Her  youth  and 

beauty  were  still  there  to  charm  him,  but  back  of 

321 


GLORT  OF  YOUTH 

them  was  a  quality  which  would  hold  him  until  the 
end — a  divine  quality  of  tenderness,  of  compassion, 
of  eternal  constancy. 

And,  in  response,  he  brought  the  best  that  man- 
hood can  bring  to  woman — reverence  and  that  high 
regard  which  makes  of  marriage  a  spiritual  bond. 

He  tried  to  speak,  but  his  voice  failed.  Then,  as 
she  bent  above  him,  she  heard  his  whisper  j 

"  Kiss  me — my  wife  \ " 

In  the  days  which  followed  the  pretty  ladies  came 
in  a  charming  procession — Diana  and  Sophie,  little 
Sara,  bravely  wistful,  Doris  escorted  by  Bobbie. 
And  last,  but  not  least  in  importance,  came  Letty 
Matthews,  in  a  new  white  dress  and  rose-wreathed 
hat,  and  with  happiness  glorifying  her  plain  features. 

But  though  they  came  and  went,  all  these  good 
iriends  of  his,  and  he  smiled  and  greeted  them,  his 
eyes  went  always  beyond  them  to  the  little  white  and 
gold  creature  with  the  woman-eyes.  And  his  voice 
would  call  for  her,  and  until  she  came  he  would  not 
be  content 


CHAPTER  XXIV 

THE  AFTERGLOW 

ANTHONY  vetoed  absolutely  the  idea  of  a  mar- 
JL\>  riage  before  Justin's  fate  should  be  finally  de- 
cided. 

"But  if  he  knows,"  Bettina  urged  with  trembling 
lips,  "if  he  knows  that  he  may  be — crippled — he 
will  say  that  I  shall  not  marry  him.  You  know  that 
he  would  say  that,  Anthony." 

"And  he  would  be  right.  A  chronic  invalid  should 
not  marry,  Betty.  I  have  great  hope  of  his  recovery. 
You  and  he  must  live  on  that  hope  a  little  longer." 

Bettina  begged  Diana  to  intercede,  and  that  lovely 
lady,  having  claimed  Anthony  for  a  twilight  walk  on 
the  beach,  began  her  plea. 

But  after  the  first  words  she  found  that  she  must 
deal  not  with  the  man  who  loved  her,  but  with  the 
great  Dr.  Anthony. 

"I  shall  certainly  not  allow  it.  I  am  not,  of  course, 
her  legal  guardian,  and  so  I  cannot  prevent  it  in  that 
way.  But  I  can  tell  Justin." 

323 


GLORT  OF  TOUTH 

"But  she  will  not  be  happy  without  him,  Anthony 
If  it  were  you,  I  should  marry  you," 

"  I  should  not  let  you." 

".You  could  not  help  it" 

They  faced  each  other — this  strong  man  and  this 
strong  woman.  With  their  wills  opposed,  each 
seemed  immovable.  It  was  evident  that  only  a  great 
depth  of  affection  could  bring  harmony  between  their 
dominant  natures. 

Anthony,  smiling  at  the  earnestness  of  his  beloved, 
did  not  yield  an  inch.  "  These  things  are  not  to  be 
decided  by  sentiment,  dear.  There  are  meanings  in 
marriage  far  beyond  mere  romance,  far  beyond  the 
fate  of  the  two  individuals  who  make  the  contract 
We  doctors  must  uphold  the  ideal  of  physical  per 
fection  lest  the  race  suffer.  Moreover  Bettina  does 
not  know,  she  cannot  know,  what  life  would  mean 
under  such  conditions.  She  does  not  know  her  own 
strength,  her  own  weakness.  She  must  learn  some- 
thing of  life  before  she  takes  its  heaviest  burdens 
upon  her.  If  in  the  years  to  come  she  can  sustain 
Justin  by  her  friendship,  let  it  be  that  She  must  no! 
marry  him." 

"You — with    your  friendships,   Anthony!    Love 
Cannot  go  back  to  friendship." 

324 


THE  AFTERGLOW 

She  had  seated  herself  on  a  stone  bench  which 
backed  by  a  clump  of  pines,  commanded  a  wide  view 
of  the  sea.     He  hesitated,  wondering  how  he  might 
chase  away  the  shadow  which  lay  on  her  lovely  face. 

"  Dear  heart,  we  must  not  disagree  about  a  thing 
which  may  right  itself.  Tell  Betty  that,  if  she  will 
be  patient  for  a  few  weeks,  I  shall  hope  to  withdraw 
my  opposition." 

Her  eyes  did  not  meet  his. 

"  Are  you  thinking  that  I  am  cruel,  Diana  ?  " 

"  No,  oh,  no.  But  your  wisdom  won't  cure  Betty's 
heartache." 

"  It  may  save  her  future  heartaches." 

"  I  wonder  if  a  woman's  point  of  view  is  ever  a 
man's  point  of  view,  Anthony  ?  " 

"Only  when  two  people  love  each  other  very 
much,  dear.  Then  each  tries  to  look  at  life  through 
the  other's  eyes.  We  men  would  grow  brutal 
without  you  to  curb  us.  But,  on  the  other  hand, 
you  need,  now  and  then,  the  masculine  common- 
sense  view-point." 

"  I  don't  want  the  common-sense  point  of  view  in 
this,  Anthony," 

He  laid  his  hands  on  her  shoulders  and  stood 
looking  down  at  her. 

5*5 


GLORT  OF  YOUTH 

*  Diana." 

"  Yes." 

"  What  is  it.  dear  ?  " 

"  I  don't  quite  like — being  curbed,  Anthony." 

She  was  laughing  a  little  for;  in  spite  of  her  re- 
bellion, there  was  something  stimulating  in  the 
thought  of  his  masterfulnesSo  "You  see,  Pve  al- 
ways ruled,"  she  said. 

f<  You  shall  still  rule,  everywhere,  except  in  one 
little  corner  of  my  kingdom  which  has  to  do  with 
things  medical — over  that  I  must  still  reign." 

"  Of  course  if  you  think  that  you  are  right  in 
this " 

"  I  know  that  I  am  right.     Look  at  me,  Diana." 

Thrilled  by  his  tone  of  command,  she  did  look  at 
him  with  eyes  like  stars. 

Then,  knowing  that  he  had  conquered,  he  drew 
her  up  to  him  and  said,  gently,  ?<  We  doctors  have 
to  seem  cruel  to  be  kind — but  you  must  never  be- 
lieve me  cruel,  Diana." 

So  July  passed  and  August,  and  the  little  town 
took  on  all  the  beauty  of  its  September  coloring. 
The  dahlias  blazed  from  every  fence  corner.  Against 
the  gray  rocks  their  masses  of  brilliance  tempted  the 
brushes  of  the  artists  who  came  to  paint 

326 


THE  AFTERGLOW 

The  yachts  began  to  leave  the  harbor,  some  of 
them  going  South,  some  of  them  making  their  exit 
to  the  clanking  chorus  of  the  marine  railway.  The 
yacht  clubs  sounded  their  last  guns,  packed  away 
their  pennants  and  hauled  up  their  floating  docks 
The  hotels  were  closed,  and  most  of  the  mansions 
on  the  Neck  were  deserted.  The  summer  folk  were 
turning  toward  the  city,  and  the  little  seaport  town 
was  settling  down  to  its  winter  routine. 

It  was  on  one  of  those  quiet  September  days  that 
Anthony  said  to  Bettina,  "  Set  your  wedding  day, 
my  dear." 

"  Oh,  Anthony,  may  I,  really  ?  " 

"  Yes.  The  specialists  who  came  yesterday  gave 
a  final  decision.  Justin  is  going  to  get — well." 

The  invalid,  propped  up  in  a  big  chair,  was  ap- 
proached thus : 

"  Would  you  mind  if  it  were  a  big  affair,  Justin  ?  " 

"  Not  if  you  want  it  that  way,  sweetheart." 

"  I  don't,  if  you  don't.  But  Diana  and  the  rest 
are  planning " 

He  laughed.  "  I  want  the  whole  world  to  see 
you,  and  I  want  all  the  bells  to  ring,  and  I  want  to 
run  away  afterward  with  you,  and  to  have  out 
honeymoon  last  forever." 

327 


GLORT  OF  TOUTH 

Se  they  were  married  from  Diana's,  at  high  $  oon, 
and  as  the  bride  descended  the  stairway,  a  sigh  oi 
admiration  went  up  from  the  waiting  guests.  Her 
costume  had  been  copied  from  an  old  painting,  and 
emphasized  her  likeness  to  those  medieval  Venetian 
beauties  whose  blood  ran  in  her  veins.  Her  veil  was 
caught  back,  cap-fashion,  from  her  face,  then  fell  to 
her  feet  The  silken  thinness  of  her  gown  was 
weighted  with  silver  embroiderieSo 

Slightly  to  the  left  of  the  officiating  clergyman 
was  a  screen  of  white  roses.  As  Bettina  advanced, 
the  screen  was  set  aside,  and  showed  Justin,  in  a 
big  chair,  pale  and  smiling,  and  seeing  only  his 
bride  as  she  came  toward  him. 

Standing  by  her  lover's  side,  Bettina  gave  the 
responses  clearly.  And  when  he  placed  on  her 
finger  the  little  silver  ring,  it  was  she  who  bent  and 
kissed  him. 

As  soon  as  the  ceremony  was  over,  the  bridegroom 
was  whisked  away,  to  be  followed  by  the  bri^e  when 
she  had  cut  the  wedding  cake. 

In  the  library  at  the  head  of  the  stairs  she  found 
him.  He  was  on  his  feet,  unsupported,  and  looking 
expectantly  toward  the  door. 

She  gave  r  v'  tie  cry,    "  f  a*£»u,  you  must  not  — - !  * 
328 


THE  AFTERGLOW 

He  laughed  and  held  out  his  arms  to  her.  "  Ai> 
thony  said  I  might.  Just  to  show  you.  He  didn't 
quite  dare  for  the  wedding.  But  I  want  you  to 
know  that  you  are  not  marrying — a  broken  reed — 
dearest" 

She  looked  up  at  him.  "  How  good  it  seemed," 
she  whispered,  "  to  see  your  face  above  mine.  I — I 
am  just  as  high  as  your  heart — Justin.K 

****** 

Snow  over  the  harbor.  Snow,  too,  at  Harbor 
Light. 

Anthony's  patientss  warmly  housed,  were  busy 
with  Christmas  work.  Women  who  had  always 
bought  perfunctory  Christmas  presents,  and  to 
whom  the  holiday  season  had  meant  merely  a 
weary  round  of  shopping,  bent  eagerly  over  the 
bit  of  pottery  or  of  weaving  which  was  to  carry  a 
message  of  peace  and  good  will.  Men,  whose  gift- 
giving  had  lost  all  of  its  precious  meanings,  were 
carving  quaint  weather-vanes  and  toys  with  infinite 
pains,  and  reveling  in  their  skill. 

Diana,  moving  from  one  to  the  other,  encouraged 
and  suggested. 

"  I  am  so  glad  we  worked  out  that  mistletoe  de- 
sign for  the  pottery  and  the  holly  for  the  little  white 

329 


GLORT  OF  YOUTH 

rugs,"  she  said ;  "  it  makes  the  work  so  much  more 
interesting." 

"  It  is  you  who  makes  the  work  interesting,"  said 
her  adoring  husband  who  was  at  her  elbow.  "  Don't 
you  ever  wish  for  anything  else?  Wouldn't  you 
like  to  be  down  South  with  Justin  and  Betty — with 
purple  seas  and  cocoanut  palms  and  tennis  and  golf 
and  good  times  ?  " 

"  I'd  rather  be  here  with  you.  Every  time  you 
come  back  from  an  important  case  or  operation  I 
feel  as  if  you  were  a  knight  returning  from  battle — 
no  woman  can  have  that  feeling  when  her  husband 
isn't  doing  vital  things — but  I'il  wait  until  I  get 
home,  Anthony,  to  tell  you  the  rest  of  it — the  whole 
of  Harbor  Light  has  its  eyes  on  us." 

It  was  not  curiosity  which  drew  the  eyes  toward 
them.  To  these  weary  creatures,  many  of  whom 
had  lost  their  illusions,  the  romance  of  their  beloved 
doctor  had  given  new  hope.  Their  belief  in  the 
happiness  of  another  made  their  own  chances  oi 
happiness  seem  less  remote. 

It  was  late  that  night,  however,  before  Diana  could 
tell  Anthony  "  the  rest  of  it."  He  was  delayed  by  a 
call  to  an  outside  case,  and  she  sat  up  to  wait  for  him. 

The  snow  had  stopped,  and  as  she  stood  at  the 
330 


THE  AFTERGLOW 

window  in  her  room  looking  out,  Minot's  flashed 
above  the  horizon,  and  the  big  light  on  the  Point 
flamed  against  the  darkness  like  a  sun.  The  little 
twinkling  fair  weather  lights  of  the  summer  were 
gone.  Only  these  remained  through  the  beating 
storms  to  send  out  their  warnings  to  the  ships. 

It  was  the  great  lights  of  the  harbor  which  served 
humanity;  it  was  great  men  like  Anthony  who 
served ! 

Smiling  a  little,  in  the  fulness  of  her  content,  she 
turned  back  into  the  fire-lighted  room,  and  went  to 
her  piano. 

Anthony,  coming  up  the  stairs,  spent  and  chilled, 
heard  her  singing : 

"  The  stormy  evening  closes  now  in  vain, 
Loud  wails  the  wind  and  beats  the  driving  rain, 
While  here  in  sheltered  house 
With  fiery-painted  walls, 
I  hear  the  wind  abroad, 

I  hark  the  calling  squalls  — 

'Blow,  blow,'  I  cry,  ' you  burst  your  cheeks  in  vain ! 
Blow,  blow,'  I  cry,  <my  love  is  home  again  ! '  " 

On  the  threshold  of  this  blessed  sanctuary  all  of 
his  weariness  seemed  to  vanish ;  here  he  found  rest 
and  refreshment — here,  at  last,  he  had  found  fulfil- 
ment of  all  his  dreams. 

331 


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THE  NOVELS  OF  TEMPLE  BAILEY 

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THE  BLUE  WINDOW 

The  heroine,  Hfldegarde,  finds  herself  transplanted  from  the  n 
western  farm  to  the  gay  social  whirl  of  the  East.  She  is  almost  sw. 
her  feet,  but  in  the  end  she  proves  true  blue. 

PEACOCK  FEATHERS 

The  eternal  conflict  between  wealth  and  love.     Jerry,  the  idealist  whc 
is  prx>r,  loves  Mimi,  a  beautiful,  spoiled  society  girl. 

THE  DIM  LANTERN 

The  romance  of  little  Jane  Barnes  who  is  loved  by  two  men. 

THE  GAY  COCKADE 

Unusual  short  stories  where  Miss  Bailey  shows  her  keen  knowledge  of 
character  and  environment,  and  how  romance  comes  to  different  people. 


Randy  Paine   comes  back   from  France  to  the   monotony  of  every-dav 
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A  man  who  wishes  to  serve  his  country,  but  is  bound  by  a  tie  he  can- 
not in  honor  break — that's  Deny.  A  girl  who  'oves  him,  shares  his  hu- 
miliation and  helps  him  to  win — that's  Jean.  Their  love  is  the  story. 

MISTRESS  ANNE 

A  gir-1  in  Maryland  teaches  school,  and  believes  that  work  is  worthy 
service.  Two  mea  come  to  the  little  community ;  one  is  weak,  the  other 
strong,  and  both  need  Aanc. 

CONTRARY  MARY 

An  old-fashioned  love  story  that  ii  nevertheless  modem. 

)GLORY  OF  YOUTH 

A  novel  shat  deals  with  a  question,  old  and  yet  ever  new — how  far 
should  an  engagement  of  marriage  bind  two  persons  who  discover  they  no 
longer  love. 

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MARGARET  PEDLER'S  NOVELS 

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TO-MORROWS  TANGLE 

The  game  of  love  is  fraught  with  danger.     To  win  in  the  finest  sense,  it 
must  be  played  fairly. 

RED  ASHES 

A  gripping  story  of  a  doctor  who  failed  in  a  crucial  operation- --and  had 
only  himself  to  blame.     Could  the  woman  he  loved  forgive  him  ? 

THE  BARBARIAN  LOVER 

A  love  story  based  on  the  creed  that  the  only  important  things  between 
birth  and  death  are  the  courage  to  face  life  and  the  love  to  sweeten  it, 

THE  MOON  OUT  OF  REACH 

Nan  Davenant's  problem  is  one  that  many  a  gMi  has  faced — her  own 
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THE  HOUSE  OF  DREAMS-COME-TRUE 

How  a  man  and  a  woman  fulfilled  a  Gypsy's  strange  prophecy. 

THE  HERMIT  OF  FAR  END 

How  love  made  its  way  into  a  walled-in  house  and  a  walled-in  heart. 

THE  LAMP  OF  FATE 

The  story  of  a  woman  who  tried  to  take  all  and  give  nothing. 

THE  SPLENDID  FOLLY 

Do  you  believe  that  husbands  and  wives  should  have  no  secrets  from 
each  other  ? 

THE  VISION  OF  DESIRE 

Aa  absorbing  romance  written  with  all  that  sense  of  feminine  tenderness 
that  has  given  the  novels  of^Margaret  Pedler  their  universal  appeal. 

WAVES  OF  DESTINY 

Each  of  these  stories    has  the  sharp  impact  of  an  emotional  crisis— the 
ompressed  quality  of  one  of  Margaret  Pedler 's  widely  popular  novels. 

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STORIES  OF  RARE  CHARM  BY 

GENE  STRATTQN-PORTER 

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THE  KEEPER  OF  THE  BEES 

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THE  WHITE  FLAG 

How  a  young  girl,  singiehanded,  fought  against  the  power  of  the  More- 
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HER  FATHER'S  DAUGHTER 

The  story  of  such  a  healthy,  level-headed,  balanced  young  woman  that 
it's  a  delightful  experience  to  know  her. 

A  DAUGHTER  OF  THE  LAND 

In  which  Kate  Bates  fights  for  her  freedom  against  long  odds,  renoun- 
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FRECKLES 

A  story  of  love  in  the  limberlost  that  leaves  a  warm  feeling  about  the 
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A  GIRL  OF  THE  LIMBERLOST 

The  sheer  beauty  of  a  girl's  soul  and  the  rich  beauties  of  the  out-of- 
doors  are  in  the  pages  of  this  book. 

THE  HARVESTER 

The  romance  of  a  strong  man  and  of  Nature's  fields  and  woods. 

LADDIE 

Full  of  the  charm  of  this  author's  "  wild  woods  magic." 

AT  THE  FOOT  OF  THE  RAINBOW 

A  story  of  friendship  and  love  out-of-doors. 

MICHAEL  O'HALLORAN 

A  wholesome,  humorous,  tender  love  story. 

THE  SONG  OF  THE  CARDINAL 

The  love  idyl  of  the  Cardinal  and  his  mate,  told  with  rare  delicacy 
and  humor. 

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KATHLEEN   NORRIS'  STORIES 

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SISTERS.  Frontispiece  by  Frank  Street. 

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POOR.  DEAR.  MARGARET  KIRBY. 

Frontispiece  by  George  Gibbs.  <• 

A  collection  of  delightful  stories,  including   "Bridging  the 
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IQSSELYN'S  WIFE.  Frontispiece  by  C.  Allan  Gilbert. 

The  story  of  a  beautiful  woman  who  fought  a  bitter  fight  for 
happiness  and  love. 

MARTIE.  THE  UNCONQUERED. 
Illustrated  by  Charles  E.  Chambers. 
The  triumph  of  a  dauntless  spirit  over  adverse  conditions. 

THE  HEART  OF  RACHAEL. 
Frontispiece  by  Charles  E.  Chambers. 

An  interesting  story  of  divorce  and  the  problems  that  com* 
with  a  second  marriage. 

THE  STORY  OF  JULIA  PAGE. 

Frontispiece  by  C.  Allan  Gilbert.  ^ 

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and  lonely,  for  the  happiness  of  life. 

SATURDAY'S  CHILD.    Frontispiece  by  F.  Graham  Cootes. 

(  Can  a  girl,  born  5n  rather  sordid  conditions,  lift  herself  through 
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hungered  ? 

MOTHICIR.    Illustrated  by  F.  C.  Yohn. 

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BEST  MAN,  THE 
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CLOUDY  JEWEL 
DAWN  OF  THE  MORNING 


ENCHANTED  BARN,  THE 
EXIT  BETTY 


FINDING  OF  JASPER  HOLT,  THE 

GIRL  FROM  MONTANA,  THE 

LO,  MICHAEL! 

MAN  OF  THE  DESERT,  THE 

MARCIA  SCHUYLER 

MIRANDA 

MYSTERY  OF  MARY,  THE 

NOT  UNDER  THE  LAW 

OBSESSION  OF  VICTORIA  GRACEN,  THE 

PHOEBE  DEANE 


RE-CREATIONS 

RED  SIGNAL,  THE 

SEARCH,  THE 

STORY  OF  A  WHIM,  THE 

TOMORROW  ABOUT  THIS  TIME 

TRYST,  THE 

VOICE  IN  THE  WILDERNESS,  A 

WITNESS,  THE 


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ZANE  GREY'S  NOVELS 

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TAPPAN'S  BURRO 

THE  VANISHING  AMERICAN 

THE  THUNDERING  HERD 

THE  CALL  OF  THE  CANYON 

WANDERER  OF  THE  WASTELAND 

TO  THE  LAST  MAN 

THE  MYSTERIOUS  RIDER 

THE  MAN  OF  THE  FOREST 

THE  DESERT  OF  WHEAT 

THE  U.  P.  TRAIL 

WILDFIRE 

THE  BORDER  LEGION 

THE  RAINBOW  TRAIL 

THE  HERITAGE  OF  THE  DESERT 

RIDERS  OF  THE  PURPLE  SAGE 

THE  LIGHT  OF  WESTERN  STARS 

THE  LAST  OF  THE  PLAINSMEN 

THE  LONE  STAR  RANGER 

DESERT  GOLD 

BETTY  ZANE 

THE  DAY  OF  THE  BEAST 

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LAST  OF  THE  GREAT  SCOUTS 

The  life  story  of  "Buffalo  Bill"  by  his  sister  Helen  Cody  Wet- 
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ZANE  GREY'S  BOOKS  FOR  BOYS 

ROPING  LIONS  IN  THE  GRAND  CANYON 

KEN  WARD  IN  THE  JUNGLE 

THE  YOUNG  LION  HUNTER 

THE  YOUNG  FORESTER 

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THE  SHORT  STOP 

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